BREATHING AND EXCHANGE OF

GASES
INTRODUCTION
• Respiration is the involuntary catabolic process which involves exchange of environmental
oxygen and body's carbon dioxide. The oxygen is utilized for the oxidation of glucose in the
mitochondria to produce energy.
• It takes place in three basic steps -
• Pulmonary ventilation : The first process, pulmonary (pulmo = lung) ventilation, or
breathing, is the inspiration (inflow) and expiration (outflow) of air between the
atmosphere and lungs.
• External (pulmonary) respiration : This is the exchange of gases between air
spaces of the lungs and blood in pulmonary capillaries. The blood gains O 2 and loses
CO2.
• Internal (tissue) respiration : The exchange of gases between blood in systemic
capillaries and tissue cells is known as internal (tissue) respiration. The blood loses
O2 and gains CO2 within cells. The metabolic reactions that consume O2 and give off
CO2 during production of ATP are termed as cellular respiration.
• Respiration is of two types – aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
• Aerobic respiration occurs in the presence of molecular oxygen. The oxygen completely
oxidizes the food to carbon dioxide and water releasing large amounts of energy.

• The organisms showing aerobic respiration, are called aerobes. It is found in most animals
and plants.
• Aerobic respiration are of two main types – direct and indirect.
• Direct respiration is the exchange of environmental oxygen with carbon dioxide of the body
cells without special respiratory organs and without the aid of blood. It is found in aerobic
bacteria, protists, plants, sponges, coelenterates, flatworms, roundworms and most
arthropods.
• Indirect respiration involves special respiratory organs such as skin, buccopharyngeal
lining, gills and lungs and needs the help of blood. Respiration in the skin, buccopharyngeal
lining, gills and lungs is respectively called cutaneous, buccopharyngeal, bronchial and
pulmonary respiration.
• Cutaneous respiration takes place in annelids, some crustaceans, eel fish,
amphibians and marine snakes. It occurs both in water and in air.
• Buccopharyngeal respiration is found in certain amphibians such as frog and toad.
It occurs in the air.
• Bronchial respiration is found in many annelids, most crustaceans and molluscs,
some insect larvae, echinoderms, all fishes and some amphibians. It occurs in water
only. Gills and bronchiae are respiratory organs.
• Pulmonary respiration is found in snails, Pila, some amphibians and reptiles, birds
and mammals. It takes place in air only.
• Anaerobic respiration occurs in the absence of molecular oxygen and is also called
fermentation. In this, the food is partially oxidized so only a part of energy (5%) is released
 and some of the energy remains trapped in the intermediate compounds. It is found in lower
organisms like bacteria and yeast. It is also found in certain parasitic worms (Ascaris,
Taenia) which live in deficient medium.
• For efficient gas exchange, the respiratory membrane, through which exchange of gases
takes place should have the following qualities.
• It should be thin, large and moist.
• It should be completely permeable for O2 and CO2.
• It should have high vascularity (rich blood supply).
• Its surface area should be very large
• Presence of respiratory pigments (e.g., haemoglobin) in many animals to increase
the O2 and CO2 carrying capacity of the blood.

Table : Types of respiration and respiratory organs of animals

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM IN HUMANS
• Respiratory system is endodermal in origin.
• Respiratory system is composed of conducting portion and a respiratory portion.
• The conducting portion provides a passage way for air and functions to condition the
incoming air by warming, moistening and cleaning it. It consists of nasopharynx, larynx,
trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and terminal bronchioles.
• The respiratory portion consisting of bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveolar sacs serves
to get rid the body of CO2 and pick up oxygen.
• A pair of external nostrils leads to a nasal chamber through the nasal passage.
• The nasal chamber opens into nasopharynx which is a portion of pharynx, the common
passage for food and air.

• Nasopharynx opens through glottis of the larynx region into the trachea.
• Larynx is composed of cartilages, ligaments, muscles and a mucosal surface. It helps in
sound production and hence called the sound box.
• It prevents indigested solids and liquids from entering the respiratory system.
• Larynx is also called Adam's apple in human males.
 • During swallowing, glottis can be covered by a thin elastic cartilaginous flap called epiglottis
to prevent the entry of food into the larynx.
• Besides epiglottis, other cartilages of the larynx are – thyroid cartilage (most prominent C–
shaped), cricoid cartilage (shape like a signet ring) and arytenoid cartilage (at the anterior
of which cartilage of Santorinis is attached).
• Trachea windpipe is a straight tube extending up to the mid-thoracic cavity, which divides at
the level of 5th thoracic vertebra into a right and left primary bronchi.
• Trachea carries air between the larynx and bronchi and is supported by incomplete rings of
C-shaped cartilage (hyoid bone) in its wall.
• The rings of cartilage makes the wall non-collapsible.
• Each bronchi undergoes repeated divisions to form the secondary and tertiary bronchi and
bronchioles ending up in very thin terminal bronchioles.
• Each terminal bronchiole gives rise to a number of very thin, irregular walled and
vascularised bag-like structures called alveoli.
• Alveoli (made of simple squamous cells) provides a huge surface area for gaseous
exchange.
• Alveoli is surrounded by a network of capillaries of the pulmonary artery and veins.
• Air enters into the lung in this way -

Inhaled air Mouth/Nose, or nasal chamber Larynx Glottis Trachea

Right and left bronchi Bronchioles Alveoli

• Number of alveoli is 300-400 million with a surface area of 100 sq.m.

• Surfactant is a lipid surface tension lowering agent which prevents alveoli from collapsing
during respiration.
• The branching network of bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli comprise the lungs.
• Lung is the primary respiratory organ.
• Lungs are covered by a double layered pleura, with pleural fluid between them. It reduces
friction on the lung surface. The outer pleural membrane (visceral pleural membrane) is in
close contact with the thoracic lining whereas the inner pleural membrane (parietal pleural
membrane) is in contact with the lung surface.
• A small space called mediastinum lies in between the two lungs.
• The right lung is divided into three lobes and the left lung into two lobes.
 • The left lung is smaller than the right lung.
• The anatomical setup of lungs in thorax is such that any change in the volume of the thoracic
cavity will be reflected in the lung (pulmonary) cavity. Such an arrangement is essential for
breathing, as we cannot directly alter the pulmonary volume.
• Diaphragm is a highly muscular and fibrous dome shaped muscle.
• Important function of diaphragm is to aid in respiration. It separates the thoracic and
abdominal cavities. It is also called phrenic muscles.
• The contraction of diaphragm assists in inspiration, micturition, defecation and
parturition.
MECHANISM OF BREATHING
• Breathing involves two phases : inspiration (during which atmospheric air is drawn in) and
expiration (by which the alveolar air is released out).
• The movement of air into and out of the lungs is carried out by creating a pressure gradient
between the lungs and the atmosphere.
• Inspiration can occur if the pressure within the lungs (intrapulmonary pressure) is less than
the atmospheric pressure, i.e., there is a negative pressure in the lungs with respect to
atmospheric pressure. Similarly, expiration takes place when the intrapulmonary pressure is
higher than the atmospheric pressure.
• Respiration is carried out with the help of intercostal muscles and diaphragm. Intercostal
muscles, between each pair of ribs, are of two types- external and internal.
• Inspiration is an active process and involves internal intercostal muscles and diaphragm.
• During inspiration, contraction of diaphragm increases the volume of thoracic chamber in the
antero-posterior axis. The contraction of external intercostal muscles lifts up the ribs and the
sternum causing an increase in the volume of the thoracic chamber in the dorso-ventral axis.
The overall increase in the thoracic volume causes a similar increase in pulmonary volume.
An increase in pulmonary volume decreases the intrapulmonary pressure to less than the
atmospheric pressure which forces the air from outside to move into the lungs, i.e.,
inspiration.
• Expiration is a passive process and caused due to muscle relaxation.
• Relaxation of the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles returns the diaphragm and sternum
to their normal positions and reduce the thoracic volume and thereby the pulmonary volume.
This leads to an increase in intrapulmonary pressure to slightly above the atmospheric
pressure causing the expulsion of air from the lungs, i.e., expiration.
• During deep or forced breathing or heavy exercise, an active process is involved requiring
internal intercostal muscles and diaphragm.
• Deep expiration is done by contraction of internal intercostal muscles and relaxation of other
muscles and diaphragm. Impulse for deep breath starts from cerebrum.
• The deep breathing is referred to as thoracic breathing in contrast to the normal or quiet
breathing referred to as abdominal breathing.
• Sudden deep breath is due to increased pCO2 and decreased pO2.
• Breathing at high altitude : Air at mountains is thin and of low density. Residents of high
altitudes are acclimatized. Visitors first suffer from hypoxia (at 4000 m). This causes
mountain sickness including high blood pressure and high breathing rate (normal rate of
breathing is 12 to 18/minute). Visitor becomes normal after some days when his number of
RBC, and haemoglobin percentage increases.
• Inspiration is for about 2 seconds and expiration for 3 seconds.
• Dead space encloses the air not involved in gaseous exchange as it is enclosed in the
respiratory passage such as nasal chamber. It reduces the amount of fresh air that enters
the lungs.
• Cough is the forcible expiration usually preceded by a prolonged inspiration.
• Rate of breathing is
 • 40 - 60/min in neonates,
• 14 - 18/min in adolescents,
• 12 - 14/min in human adults
• 18 - 22 /min in children.
• 0 in embryo
• 10/min (minimum) at the time of sleeping
• 80/min in frog
• 38/min in rabbit
• 120/min (maximum) in shrew
• 6/min in elephant
• On an average, a healthy human breathes 12-16 times/minute.
RESPIRATORY VOLUMES
Respiratory (Pulmonary) volume is the volume of air in the lungs.
It is of the following types –

• Tidal Volume (TV) : It is the volume of air inspired or expired during a normal respiration. It
is approx. 500 ml., i.e., a healthy man can inspire or expire approximately 6000 to 8000 ml of
air per minute.
• Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV) : The maximum volume of air, a person can inspire by a
forcible inspiration over and above the tidal volume. This averages 2500 ml to 3000 ml.
• Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV) : It is the additional volume of air, a person can expire
by a forcible expiration. This averages 1000 ml to 1100 ml.
• Residual Volume (RV) : The volume of air left in the lungs even after a maximum forcible
expiration. This averages 1100 ml to 1200 ml.
RESPIRATORY CAPACITIES
Pulmonary capacities is the combination of two or more pulmonary volumes.
It could be -

• Inspiratory Capacity (IC) : It is the total volume of air a person can inspire after a normal
expiration. It includes tidal volume and inspiratory reserve volume ( TV+IRV). It is about 3500
ml.
• Expiratory Capacity (EC) : Total volume of air a person can expire after a normal
inspiration. This includes tidal volume and expiratory reserve volume (TV+ERV).
• Functional Residual Capacity (FRC) : It is the total volume of air that will remain in the
lungs after a normal expiration. This includes ERV+RV. It is about 2300 ml.
• Vital Capacity (VC) : It is the maximum volume of air a person can breathe in after a forced
expiration. This includes ERV, TV and IRV or the maximum volume of air a person can
breathe out after a forced inspiration. It is about 4600 ml.
• Total Lung Capacity : It is the total volume of air accommodated in the lungs at the end of a
forced inspiration. This includes RV, ERV, TV and IRV or vital capacity + residual volume of
air. It is about 5800 ml.

EXCHANGE OF GASES
• Alveoli are the primary sites of exchange of gases.
• The exchange of gases between the alveoli and blood in lungs and between the blood and
tissue is the result of differences in partial pressure of the respiratory gases i.e., oxygen,
carbon dioxide and nitrogen etc.
• O2 and CO2 are exchanged in these sites by simple diffusion mainly based on
pressure/concentration gradient.
• Solubility of the gases as well as the thickness of the membranes involved in diffusion can
affect the rate of diffusion.
• A concentration gradient is present for oxygen from the alveoli to blood and blood to tissues.
Similarly, direction, i.e., from tissues to blood and blood to alveoli is for CO 2. As the solubility
of CO2 is 20-25 times higher than that of O2, the amount of CO2 that can diffuse through the
diffusion membrane per unit difference in partial pressure is much higher compared to that of
O2 .
• The diffusion membrane is made up of three major layers, the thin squamous epithelium of
alveoli, the endothelium of alveolar capillaries and the basement substance in between them.
• All the factors in our body are favourable for diffusion of O 2 from alveoli to tissues and that of
CO2 from tissues to alveoli.
TRANSPORT OF GASES
Blood is the medium of transport for O2 and CO2.
TRANSPORT OF OXYGEN
• Oxygen is transported in the blood in two ways -
• by mixing with haemoglobin (97%) as oxyhaemoglobin.
• by dissolving in plasma (3%).
• Haemoglobin is a red coloured iron containing pigment present in the RBCs.
• Each haemoglobin molecule can carry a maximum of four molecules of O 2 and can bind with
4 molecules of O2 and hence it is called as oxyhaemoglobin.
 • Every 100 ml of oxygenated blood can deliver around 5 ml of O2 to the tissues under normal
physiological conditions.
TRANSPORT OF CARBON DIOXIDE
• Transport of CO2 by blood is much easier than that of oxygen due to high solubility of CO 2 in
water (about 20 times that of O2)
• Each deciliter of blood carries about 3.7 ml of CO2.
• Carbon dioxide is transported in blood in three ways–
• 7% dissolved in plasma (as carbonic acid)
• 23% bound to haemoglobin (as carbamino-haemoglobin)
• 70% as bicarbonate in the plasma following an enzyme catalyzed reaction in red
blood cell.
• RBCs contain a very high concentration of the enzyme, carbonic anhydrase and minute
quantities of the same is present in the plasma too. This enzyme facilitates the following
reaction in both directions.

CO2 + H2O H2CO3 –+H+

HCO3

• At the tissue site, where partial pressure of pCO2 is high due to catabolism, CO2 diffuses into
blood (RBCs and plasma) and forms HCO3– and H+.
• At the alveolar site where pCO2 is low, the reaction proceeds in the opposite direction
leading to the formation of CO2 and H2O.
• CO2 trapped as bicarbonate at the tissue level and transported to the alveoli is released out
as CO2.
• Every 100 ml of deoxygenated blood delivers approximately 4 ml of CO 2 to the alveoli.
REGULATION OF RESPIRATION
• Breathing can be controlled by central nervous system.
• Respiratory centres are located in medulla oblongata and pons varolii. These centres
regulate the rate and depth of breathing by controlling contraction of diaphragm and other
respiratory muscles.
• Medulla oblongata contains inspiratory centre in dorsal portion and expiratory centre in the
ventral portion. The expiratory centre is connected with the vagus nerve that innervates the
lungs.
DISORDERS OF RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
• Asthma is an allergic reaction that causes constriction of the bronchial muscles, thereby
reducing the air passage thus, the amount of air that can get to the alveoli.
• Emphysema is a situation of short breath in which alveolar walls are damaged due to which
respiratory surface is decreased. It is often caused by cigarette smoking.
• Occupational respiratory disorders : In certain industries, especially those involving
grinding or stone-breaking, so much dust is produced that the defense mechanism of the
body cannot fully cope with the situation. Long exposure can give rise to inflammation
leading to fibrosis (proliferation of fibrous tissues) and thus, causing serious lung damage.
 • Hypoxia is a condition of oxygen shortage in the tissues. It is of two types :
• Artificial hypoxia : It results from shortage of oxygen in the air at high (over 2400 m)
altitudes. It causes mountain sickness characterized by breathlessness, headache,
dizziness, nausea, vomiting, mental fatigue and bluish tinge on the skin and mucous
membranes.
• Anaemic hypoxia : It results from the reduced oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood
due to anaemia (decreased haemoglobin content in blood) or carbon monoxide
poisoning (some haemoglobin occupied by CO). In both cases, less haemoglobin is
available for carrying oxygen.
• Asphyxia (Suffocation) : The O2 content of blood falls and the CO2 content rises and
paralyses the respiratory centre. Breathing stops and death occurs.
• Common cold : Disease-causing microbes present in the air attack respiratory tract,
producing inflammation of the mucous membrane. Rhinitis is a chronic or acute
inflammation of the mucous membrane of nose.
• Rhinitis in the nasal chambers.
• Sinusitis in the sinuses.
• Pharyngitis in the pharynx, often called sore throat, and is usually accompanied by
tonsilitis (enlargement of tonsils).
• Laryngitis in the larynx, causing a hoarse voice and difficulty in speaking.
• Bronchitis in the bronchioles.
• Bronchitis : It is caused by the permanent swelling in the bronchi. As a result of bronchitis,
cough is caused and thick mucus with pus cells is spitted out. The patient experiences
difficulty in breathing.
• Pneumonia : During pneumonia, oxygen has difficulty in diffusing through the inflamed
alveoli and the blood pO2 may be drastically reduced. Blood pCO2 usually remains normal
because CO2 diffuses through the alveoli more easily than O2. This disease is caused by
Streptococcus pneumoniae, other bacteria, fungi, protozoans, viruses and the patient feels
difficulty in breathing. Its prominent symptoms are trembling, pain in the chest, fever, cough
etc. This disease is prevalent in either children or elderly persons in old age.
• Lung cancer : It is believed that due to excess smoking, lung cancer (carcinoma of lungs) is
caused. The tissue increases limitlessly, which is called malignancy. This disease is fatal.
The frequency of occurrence of this disease in smokers is 20% more. Malignancy of tissues
(neoplasia) causes pressure on the cells of other tissues and destroys them. The blood
capillaries are ruptured, blood starts flowing and death is caused by excessive bleeding.
• Tuberculosis (TB) : It is caused by bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. These bacteria
settle in lungs at different places and convert normal tissue into fibrous tissue. Since the
respiratory surface is decreased, the difficulty in breathing is also experienced. If the patients
start taking medical advice and the medicines right from the initial stage regularly, the
patients can be fully cured of the disease.
Now a days, a new therapy DOT (Direct observed treatment) is used for tuberculosis treatment,
recently launched by Indian Government. Many other drugs like rifampin and isoniazid are
successful for the treatment of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis bacteria spreads by inhalation and
exhalation.

NOTES

• In elephant, false vocal cords are absent.

 • In hippopotamus, true vocal cords are absent.
• In birds, sound is produced by syrinx.
• Sound of rabbit is called as quacking.
• In normal respiration.
Frog show - 35% cutaneous respiration
- 9% Buccopharyngeal respiration
- 56% Pulmonary respiration.

• Drinker's Respiration or Tank Respiration is an iron lung invented by Philip Drinker, an

American Engineer, in 1929.
• A dark bluish colour of skin and mucous membrane due to deficiency of oxygen in the blood
is called cyanosis.
• Lodwing first explained gaseous exchange in blood.
• Rima glottides is the gap between the vocal cords.
• The vocal cords are made up of yellow elastic tissue covered by non keratinized stratified
squamous epithelium.