Medicină I – Seminarul 6

THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM (I)

The respiratory system consists of the lungs and air passages. In the course of respiration air
passes through the following structures: larynx, trachea and bronchi. The function of the respiratory
system is to provide the body with oxygen needed to maintain life, and to get rid of the carbon
dioxide which is produced as a waste product of the body’s metabolism. The interchange of gases
takes place in the lungs, whose vital surface area has been estimated to be equivalent to the area of a
tennis court.

respiration - respiraţie
respiratory - respirator
respiratory apparatus (syn.) respiratory system - aparat respirator, sistem respirator
respiratory failure (syn.) respiratory insufficiency - insuficienţă respiratorie
passage - tranzit, trecere; meat, canal; acces
air passage - cale respiratorie
waste - reziduu, deşeu; irosire; emaciere
waste - uzat, nefolositor; de aruncat
to waste - a atrofia; a distruge, a irosi
interchange - alternanţă, schimb
interchangeable - interschimbabil, substituibil, permutabil

Air passes through the nose, where it is filtered by the hairs, warmed by contact with the
mucous surface and moistened by the evaporation of moisture from the surface. The air then passes
through a muscular tube - the pharynx and then flows through the larynx or voice box, the front
cartilage of which forms the familiar Adam’s apple. Attached to the top of the larynx is the
epiglottis, which helps to close off the larynx during swallowing. The vocal cords lie inside the
larynx.

mucosa (syn.) mucous membrane - mucoasă, membrană mucoasă

mucous - mucos, acoperit cu mucus; care secretă mucus
moist (syn.) damp (syn.) humid - umed, jilav
to moisten (syn.) to dampen - a umecta, a umezi, a înmuia
Adam's apple (syn.) laryngeal prominence (syn.) prominentia laryngea - mărul lui Adam,
proeminenţă laringiană
epiglottis (pl. epiglottides) - epiglotă
epiglottic (syn.) epiglottidean - epiglotic
swallowing (syn.) deglutition - înghiţire, deglutiţie

The trachea is a tubular structure extending about 11 cm downwards from the larynx. It has
a diameter of about 2.5 cm and is composed of smooth muscle in which are embedded incomplete
rings of cartilage which give protection against collapse or blockage.

to embed (syn.) to imbed - a băga, a vârî; a înţepeni; a introduce

embedded (syn.) imbedded - înţepenit; inclus, încastrat; implantat
ring (syn.) annulus (pl. annuli) - inel; areolă; coroană; nucleu
collapse - colaps; prăbuşire; cădere
to collapse - a se prăbuşi, a cădea; a fi extenuat
blockage - blocare, blocaj, astupare; constipaţie; ocluzie
blocked - blocat, împiedicat; obstrucţionat
 At its lower end the trachea divides into two main branches, the right bronchus and left
bronchus. The bronchi enter their respective lungs, where they divide and subdivide into smaller
branches eventually forming bronchioles. The bronchioles have a layer of smooth muscle, which
causes constriction and dilation of the bronchioles. It is, of course, involuntary and under the control
of the autonomic nervous system.

branch (syn.) ramus (pl. rami) - ramură, ramificaţie

to branch - a (se) ramifica
BRONCHIOL(O)- formă combinatorie cu sensul de bronhiolă
bronchiole (syn.) bronchiolus (pl. bronchioli) – bronhiolă
bronchiolitis - bronşiolită, bronhiolită
to constrict - a strânge, a comprima; a contracta
constriction - constricţie, comprimare; contracţie; îngustare
dilation - dilataţie, dilatare; mărire; alungire
to dilate - a (se) dilata, a se mări; a creşte
dilated - dilatat, mărit, lărgit; crescut

The lungs are asymmetrical cone-shaped organs, the heart projects into the left thoracic
cavity, creating a notch in the left lung called the cardiac notch. The right lung is divided into three
lobes and the left lung into two.

asymmetric (syn.) asymmetrical - asimetric ≠ symmetric (syn.) symmetrical - simetric

asymmetry - asimetrie ≠ symmetry - simetrie
notch (syn.) incisura (pl. incisurae) (syn.) incisure - incizură, crestătură
notched - crestat, zimţat
lobe (syn.) lobus (pl. lobi) - lob
lobed - lobat, cu lobi

Their bases are on the diaphragm and their upper, pointed ends behind and above the
clavicle. Each lung is surrounded by a double serous membrane, the pleura. Between the inner
visceral and outer parietal pleural layers there is a slight exudate which lubricates the surfaces and
prevents friction between the lungs and the chest wall during the respiratory movements. In health
the two layers of pleura are in contact one with the other. The pleural space or cavity is only a
potential space, but when, in abnormal states, air or fluid lies between the two layers of pleura
separating them, the space then becomes distinct.

point (syn.) punctum (pl. puncta) - punct; pată mică; extremitate

to point - a arăta, a indica; a accentua
clavicle (syn.) collar bone - claviculă
clavicular - clavicular
serous - seros
serosa (syn.) tunica serosa (syn.) serous membrane - seroasă, tunică seroasă, membrană
seroasă
PLEUR(O)- formă combinatorie cu sensul de pleură, coastă
pleurography - pleurografie
paries (pl. parietes) (syn.) wall - perete (al unui organ sau al unei cavităţi)
parietal - parietal
PARIETO- formă combinatorie cu sensul de os parietal, lob parietal, referitor la un perete
parietooccipital (syn.) occipitoparietal - parietooccipital, occipitoparietal
exudate - exsudat
exudation - exsudaţie, exsudare; exsudat
exudative - exsudativ
 lubricant - lubrifiant, substanţă unsuroasă
to lubricate - a lubrifia, a unge
friction - fricţiune, frecare
frictional - fricţional, prin fricţiune

Within the lungs each bronchiole again divides many times, eventually ending in clusters of
alveoli.
A single alveolus is a tiny air space. Its walls consist of a single layer of flattened epithelial
cells, which are in contact with the walls of the capillary blood vessels present throughout the lung.
Through these very thin layers of tissue, oxygen and carbon dioxide can be readily exchanged
between the blood in the pulmonary capillaries and the air in the alveoli.
The respiratory tract is lined with mucous membrane which secretes mucus from specialised
glands and cells. This membrane is lined with ciliated epithelium. The cilia are fine hair-like
processes which beat with a wave-like motion and carry particles of foreign matter, mucus etc. out
of the respiratory tract.

cluster - grup, adunare, concentrare; mănunchi, ciorchine

flat - plat, orizontal, întins, plan, turtit
flattened - aplatizat, turtit
EPITHELI(O)- formă combinatorie cu sensul de epiteliu
epithelium - epiteliu
epithelial - epitelial
readily - cu uşurinţă, prompt
CILI(O)- formă combinatorie cu sensul de geană, cil
ciliary - ciliar
cilium (pl. cilia) - cil; geană, cil palpebral
process (syn.) processus - proces; excrescenţă, prelungire
matter (syn.) materia (syn.) substance (syn.) substantia (pl. substantiae) - materie,
substanţă

Thoracic cavity
The thoracic cavity is situated at the upper part of the trunk. The boundaries of thorax are:
I. the sternum and costal cartilages in front;
II. the twelve thoracic vertebrae with their intervertebral discs of cartilage behind;
III. the ribs and intercostal muscles at the sides;
IV. the diaphragm below;
V. the root of the neck above.
The sides of the thoracic cavity are completely filled by the lungs with their pleural covering:
these lie each side of, and form the lateral boundaries of the mediastinum.
The mediastinum is the space in the thoracic cavity between the two lungs. It contains the
heart and great blood vessels, the esophagus, thoracic duct, descending aorta and superior vena cava,
the vagi and phrenic nerves and numerous lymphatic glands.

THORAC(O)- formă combinatorie cu sensul de piept, torace

thoracic (syn.) thoracal (syn.) pectoral - toracic, pectoral
thorax (pl. thoraces) (syn.) chest (syn.) pectus (pl. pectora) - torace, piept
STERN(O)- formă combinatorie cu sensul de stern
sternum (pl. sterna) (syn.) breast bone - stern
sternal - sternal
root of the neck (syn.) thoracocervical region - regiune toraco-cervicală
covering - învelitoare, membrană; căptuşire
mediastinum (syn.) mediastinal space - mediastin
 mediastinal - mediastinal
thoracic duct (syn.) ductus thoracicus - duct toracic
descending aorta (syn.) aorta descendens - aortă descendentă
vagus (pl. vagi) (syn.) vagus nerve (syn.) nervus vagus (syn.) tenth cranial nerve - nerv
vag, nervul cranian X
phrenic nerve (syn.) nervus phrenicus (syn.) diaphragmatic nerve - nerv frenic

Respiratory muscles
There are a variety of muscles directly connected with respiration, principally the
intercostals, which assist in the expansion of the thorax so that air can flow into the lungs. Another
important muscle in respiration is the diaphragm. This is a broad sheet of muscle which separated
the thorax from the abdomen. The only structures which pass through it are the esophagus, major
blood vessels and branches of the vagus nerve. In respiration the diaphragm, which is domed
upwards, moves down, pressing the abdominal contents to allow air to be taken into the thorax. As
it moves upwards it helps to expel air from the lungs. The diaphragm is under a degree of voluntary
control and with practice better voluntary control can be obtained.

expansion - expansiune, extensiune; dezvoltare, extindere

sheet - cearceaf, foaie, coală, fâşie lată
dome - dom, cupolă, calotă, boltă
domed - bombat

Pulmonary circulation
The pulmonary artery carries the deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle of the heart to
the lungs; its branches lie in contact with the bronchial tubes, dividing and subdividing until tiny
arterioles are formed: these break up into a network of capillaries which lie in contact with the walls
of the alveoli or air sacs. These minute capillary vessels have a very small bore, so that the red
blood cells are carried along practically in single file. They move very slowly and being separated
from the air in the alveoli by only two exceedingly thin membranes the interchange of gases takes
place by diffusion, which is the function of respiration.
The pulmonary capillaries unite and unite again until larger vessels are formed and finally
two pulmonary veins leave each lung carrying the oxygenated blood to the left atrium of the heart
and thence to the left ventricle for distribution all over the body by way of the aorta.

network (syn.) rete (pl. retia) - reţea, plasă

bore - gaură, orificiu, sfredelitură
to bore - a găuri, a perfora
boring - sfredelitor; plicticos
to diffuse - a difuza, a răspândi; a împrăştia; a se combina prin difuziune
diffusion - difuziune, răspândire, împrăştiere
thence - din locul acela; astfel, aşadar