Respiratory System

What is respiration?
Intake of oxygen and expulsion of carbon dioxide. It is the breakdown of glucose in cells to provide energy.

Components of the respiratory system

- Nose and Mouth: They are the entry points for air and help in warming, filtering, and moistening the air
before it reaches the lungs.
- Trachea (Windpipe): It's a tube that connects the nose/mouth to the lungs and allows air to pass through
into the lungs.
- Lungs: These are the main organs of the respiratory system. They take in oxygen from the air and remove
carbon dioxide, transferring oxygen to the bloodstream.
- Bronchi: The trachea splits into two tubes called bronchi, with each bronchus leading to one lung. They
further divide into smaller tubes called bronchioles.
- Bronchioles: These are smaller airways within the lungs that help distribute air to different parts of the
lungs.
- Alveoli: They are tiny air sacs located at the end of bronchioles. Oxygen from the air enters the
bloodstream through the thin walls of the alveoli, while carbon dioxide passes from the bloodstream into
the alveoli to be exhaled.
- Diaphragm: It's a muscle beneath the lungs that contracts and relaxes to assist in breathing. When it
contracts, it flattens, creating space in the chest cavity for air to enter the lungs. When it relaxes, it
pushes air out of the lungs.

Gaseous exchange
Deoxygenated blood returns from the body to the heart through the veins (superior and inferior vena cava). The
heart then pumps this deoxygenated blood into the pulmonary artery, which carries it to the lungs for gaseous
exchange. Within the lungs, the deoxygenated blood flows into capillaries surrounding the alveoli. Here, gaseous
exchange occurs: oxygen from the inhaled air diffuses into the bloodstream, while carbon dioxide, a waste product
produced by the cells, diffuses from the bloodstream into the alveoli for exhalation. The oxygenated blood, now
enriched with oxygen, is transported from the lungs to the heart via the pulmonary veins. The heart then pumps
this oxygenated blood to the rest of the body through the arteries.

Aerobic respiration
Occurs in the presence of oxygen. Happens in the mitochondria of the cells
Glucose + Oxygen -> CO2 + H2O + Energy

Anaerobic respiration
Occurs without the presence of oxygen. Happens in the cytoplasm of the cells
Glucose -> Alcohol + Water + Energy (YEAST CELLS)
Glucose -> Lactic Acid + Energy (MUSCLE CELLS)
Double Circulation
It is called the double circulatory system because blood passes through the heart twice per circuit. The right pump
sends deoxygenated blood to the lungs where it becomes oxygenated and returns back to the heart. The left pump
sends oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.

Heart Anatomy

Right atrium: The right atrium is a chamber in the heart that receives deoxygenated blood from the body and
pumps it to the right ventricle.

Left atrium: The left atrium is a chamber in the heart that receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it
to the left ventricle.

Right ventricle: The right ventricle is a chamber in the heart that receives deoxygenated blood from the right
atrium and pumps it to the lungs through the pulmonary artery.

Left ventricle: The left ventricle is the largest chamber in the heart and receives oxygenated blood from the left
atrium. It pumps this oxygenated blood to the rest of the body through the aorta.

Pulmonary vein: Pulmonary veins are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart,
specifically to the left atrium.

Pulmonary artery: The pulmonary artery is a blood vessel that carries deoxygenated blood from the right
ventricle to the lungs, where it picks up oxygen.

Aorta: The aorta is the main artery in the body that carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to all parts of
the body.

Tricuspid valve: The tricuspid valve is a heart valve located between the right atrium and the right ventricle. It
prevents the backflow of blood from the right ventricle to the right atrium when the heart contracts.

Pulmonary valve: The pulmonary valve is a heart valve located between the right ventricle and the pulmonary
artery. It prevents the backflow of blood from the pulmonary artery to the right ventricle when the heart relaxes.
Aortic valve: The aortic valve is a heart valve located between the left ventricle and the aorta. It prevents the
backflow of blood from the aorta to the left ventricle when the heart relaxes.

Mitral valve: The mitral valve, also known as the bicuspid valve, is a heart valve located between the left atrium
and the left ventricle. It prevents the backflow of blood from the left ventricle to the left atrium when the heart
contracts.

Inferior vena cava: The inferior vena cava is a large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the lower body
back to the right atrium of the heart.

Superior vena cava: The superior vena cava is a large vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the upper body
back to the right atrium of the heart.