External respiration describes

respiration that occurs between the

external environment and the cells
of the body.

External respiration consists of two

stages:

Ÿ Breathing

Ÿ Gas exchange

The first stage involves ventilation

or breathing, which is the intake of
oxygen into the body and expulsion
of carbon dioxide out of the body.

The second stage involves

the exchange of gases between
the blood capillaries and the alveoli
of the lungs. The alveoli
are thin walled round shaped cells
(or air sacs) that occur in groups
within the lungs. There are several
of these air sacs packed together to
increase surface area for gas
exchange.

Gases move between cells in

external respiration.  Oxygen that is
inhaled diffuses from the alveoli into
the blood of capillaries. There the
oxygen attaches reversibly to the
heme (iron) of the hemoglobin of
the red blood cell.

External Respiration
External respiration is the formal
term for gas exchange. It describes
both the bulk flow of air into and out
of the lungs and
the transfer of oxygen and carbon
dioxide into the bloodstream
through diffusion. While the bulk
flow of air from the external
environment happens due to
pressure changes in the lungs, the
mechanisms of alveolar gas
exchange are more complicated.
The primary three components of
external respiration are the surface
area of the alveolar membrane, the
partial pressure gradients of the
gasses, and the matching of
perfusion and ventilation

Carbon dioxide which attaches to

an amino acid in the blood offloads
from the red blood cell in order to be
exhaled from the body. The blood
cells transport the gases around the
body. This is how oxygenation of
body cells is achieved and waste
products removed.
Many animals do not have lungs for
gas exchange. Animals such as fish
that live in water have gills instead
of lungs for instance, and some
animals in water can also use the
skin as a gas exchange surface.

What is important is that the

gas exchange surface needs to be
kept moist in order for gases to be
exchanged. In terrestrial animals
these surfaces are kept moist, for
instance by production of mucus in
the lungs.

Oxygen is needed for internal

respiration to occur, thus external
respiration is critical in keeping our
cells alive. Very few organisms can
continue to undergo cellular
respiration in the absence of
oxygen.
Difference between
External Respiration and
Internal Respiration
Location:
External respiration occurs between
cells of the body and the external
environment while internal
respiration occurs within cells.

Breathing:
External respiration involves
breathing, while internal respiration
does not.

Involvement of
Hemoglobin:
External respiration involves oxygen
attaching to or offloading from the
heme of hemoglobin. This is not an
internal respiration process.

Oxidation:
Internal respiration involves three
stages: glycolysis, Krebs cycle and
oxidative phosphorylation; this is not
the case for external respiration.

Involvement of Oxygen:
Internal respiration can sometimes
occur without oxygen, this is not the
case with external respiration.

Entrance:
External respiration involves oxygen
first entering the ventilatory
structures such as lungs or gills; this
is not the case with internal
respiration.

Chemical Reaction:
External respiration is the
mechanism of how oxygen
physically enters the body and is
moved around, while internal
respiration is only a process of
chemical reactions which involves
oxygen as a driving force.

Gas Exchange:
External respiration involves gas
exchange, internal respiration does
not.

Involvement of Water vs.

 Oxyhemoglobin:
Internal respiration involves protons
eventually combining with oxygen to
form water while in external
respiration oxygen combines with
hemoglobin to form oxyhemoglobin.

Table comparing External

vs. Internal Respiration
External respiration, also known as
breathing, involves both bringing
air into the lungs (inhalation) and
releasing air to the atmosphere
(exhalation)

Ÿ External respiration refers to

breathing and exchange of gases
between the external environment
and lungs and between alveoli
surface and the blood
 stream. Internal respiration refers to
the gaseous exchange between
blood and different tissues and
cellular respiration process, where
oxygen is utilised to generate
energy in the form of ATPs.External
respiration describes the exchange
of gasses between the external
environment and the bloodstream.

Ÿ The components of external

respiration include alveolar surface
area, ventilation and perfusion
matching, and partial pressure
gradients.

Ÿ Partial pressure gradients allow

gasses to flow from areas of high
pressure to areas of lower pressure.

Ÿ Ventilation and perfusion in the

alveoli
must be balanced to maintain
efficient gas exchange