Rattus Norvegicus

Respiratory System
Organs in the Respiratory System
● Nostrils: Air moves in and out of the rat’s respiratory system through the nostrils. The nostrils are part
of the nasal cavity, which air passes through on its way from the environment to the gas exchange
site.
● Pharynx: The pharynx is the cavity behind the nasal cavity. It connects the nostrils to the trachea,
and air passes through it when the rat breathes.
● Glottis: The glottis is a flap in the rat’s throat that prevents food from entering the pharynx. This
prevents the rat from choking on its food when it breathes.
● Trachea: The trachea is a tube that connects the nostrils and pharynx to the lungs. Air passes
through this tube when the rat breathes to get from the environment to the gas exchange site
● Lungs: The lungs are sacs that fill with air and contain alveoli. The alveoli exchanges gases with the
air held in the lungs.
● Alveoli: Alveoli are tiny air sacs in the lungs that exchange gases. They bring the gases that the rat
needs into its body and send the gases it doesn’t use beck into the environment.
● Diaphragm: The diaphragm helps to move the lungs as the rat breaths and they fill with air. It moves
up and down as the lungs expand and contract.
A few major organs involved in respiration including the nose, trachea, lungs, alveoli, and diaphragm
Open vs Closed Systems
● Open respiratory systems exchange gasses with the environment.
● Closed respiratory systems are isolated from the environment.
● Rats have open respiratory systems because they are not isolated from the
environment. They interact with their environment by exchanging gases
with it.
Gas Exchange
Rats exchange gases through the alveoli in
their lungs. Alveoli are tiny air sacs in the
lungs that allow for rapid gas exchange.
They absorb the gases that the rat needs,
such as oxygen, into the rat’s body and
circulatory system. Then, they get rid of the
gases that the rat doesn’t need, such as
nitrogen and carbon dioxide, by sending
them back out into the environment when
the rat exhales.
Ventilation Process
Rats inhale through their nostrils. The air is
then brought through the pharynx and
trachea to get to the lungs. The lungs are
lined with alveoli, which help the rat to
absorb the oxygen it needs. Oxygen is then
put into the circulatory system to transport it
around the rat’s body. The gases that the
rat doesn’t need get sent back out into the
environment when the rat breathes. As the
rat breathes, the diaphragm helps to move
the lungs in and out, allowing them to fill
with air and push air back out again.
Gas Transportation
Oxygen is transported throughout the rat’s body using the circulatory system.
Oxygen is transferred from the lungs to the blood through small capillaries in the
walls of the alveoli. Blood also contains an oxygen binding protein called
hemoglobin. Hemoglobin transports the oxygen throughout the bloodstream.
When the blood travels through capillaries in areas where there is a low amount of
oxygen, it releases its oxygen. This allows oxygen to travel to the cells and tissues
that need it.
Possible Issues
Rats are very prone to diseases and infections of the respiratory tract. It is one of
the most common health problems in rats. One of the most common infections is
murine mycoplasmosis (chronic respiratory disease). It is a bacterial infection that
can be detrimental to the rat’s health. A few of the symptoms are sneezing,
sniffling, coughing, difficult breathing, staining around the eyes and nose, lethargy,
and weight loss. A few of the main causes are living in an unclean environment,
contact with infected rats, and contact with airborne bacteria.
Adaptations and Benefits
● Small Size: fitting in small spaces
● Long tail: balance and agility
● Whiskers: collecting information about the world around them
● Diverse diet: makes it easy for them to find food
● Fast Breeding: prevents them from going extinct
● Rapid breathing: supplies oxygen to their fast beating hearts, which allows
them to move fast and have heightened senses
● Glottis: flap of skin that prevents rat from choking due to their rapid breathing
 Works Cited

"Gas Exchange." Health Video: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.

"How Have Rats Adapted to Their Environment?" Reference. IAC Publishing, n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.

"Lung and Airway Disorders in Rats." Pet MD. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.

"Open System." Open System - Biology-Online Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.

"Respiratory System of a Rodent." Cuteness.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2017.