The Respiratory System
Dr Safa Abdul Ghani
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Functions of the Respiratory System: Overview
• Exchange O2
• Air to blood
• Blood to cells
• Exchange CO2
• Cells to blood
• Blood to air
• Regulate blood pH
• Vocalizations
• Protect alveoli
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
The Respiratory System
• Major function of the Respiratory system is to supply
the body with O2 and dispose CO2
produce energy (growth and movement function)
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Respiratory System: Overall process
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Respiratory System: Overall process
• Respiration – four distinct processes must happen
1. Pulmonary ventilation – moving air into and
out of the lungs Inspiration/ Expiration
2. External respiration (Diffusion) – gas
exchange between the lungs and the blood
3. Transport (Perfusion)– transport of oxygen
and carbon dioxide between the lungs and tissues
4. Internal respiration (Diffusion) – gas
exchange between systemic blood vessels and
tissues
5. Cellular respiration
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Respiratory System: Overview
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 17-2 b: Anatomy Summary
Human respiratory system
• Parts of the respiratory system include:
• Trachea
• Bronchi
• Bronchioles
• Alveoli
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Respiratory System
Consists of the respiratory and conducting zones
• Respiratory zone:
• Site of gas exchange
• Consists of bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveoli
• Conducting zone:
• Conduits for air to reach the sites of gas exchange
• Includes all other respiratory structures (e.g.,
nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, trachea)
• Respiratory muscles – diaphragm and other muscles
that promote ventilation
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Epiglottis – elastic cartilage that covers the laryngeal inlet during swallowing
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Larynx (Voice Box)
The three functions of the larynx are:
1. To provide a patent airway
2. To act as a switching mechanism to route
air and food into the proper channels
3. To function in voice production
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
The Airways:
Conduction of Air from Outside to Alveoli
• Nose, (mouth), trachea, bronchi & bronchioles: Filter, warm & moisten air
• Huge increase in cross sectional area
• Airways are subdivided into smaller airways: The smaller the less cartilage
in the walls and more smooth muscle & elastic tissue
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 17-4: Branching of the airways
Trachea
• Flexible and mobile tube extending from the
larynx into the mediastinum
• Composed of three layers
• Mucosa – made up of goblet cells and ciliated
epithelium
• Submucosa – connective tissue deep to the
mucosa
• Adventitia – outermost layer made of C-shaped
rings of hyaline cartilage
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mucociliary escalator (upward movement)
Glands secrete mucus containing lysozyme to help destroy bacteria
Ciliated mucosal cells remove contaminated mucus
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Conducting Zones
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Conducting Zone: Bronchi
• Air reaching the bronchi is:
• Warm and cleansed of impurities
• Saturated with water vapor
• Bronchi subdivide into secondary bronchi, each
supplying a lobe of the lungs
• Air passages undergo 23 orders of branching
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Conducting Zone: Bronchial Tree
• Tissue walls of bronchi mimic that of the trachea
• As conducting tubes become smaller, structural
changes occur
• Cartilage support structures change
• Epithelium types change
• Amount of smooth muscle increases
• Bronchioles
• Consist of cuboidal epithelium
• Have a complete layer of circular smooth muscle
• Lack cartilage support and mucus-producing cells
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Respiratory Zone
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Respiratory Zone
• Defined by the presence of alveoli; begins as
terminal bronchioles feed into respiratory
bronchioles
• Respiratory bronchioles lead to alveolar ducts,
then to terminal clusters of alveolar sacs
composed of alveoli
• Approximately 300 million alveoli:
• Account for most of the lungs’ volume
• Provide tremendous surface area for gas
exchange
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Alveoli
• The alveoli are moist, thin-walled pockets
which are the site of gas exchange.
• A slightly oily surfactant prevents the
alveolar walls from collapsing and sticking
together.
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Respiratory Membrane
• This air-blood barrier is composed of:
• Alveolar and capillary walls
• Their fused basal laminas
• Alveolar walls:
• Are a single layer of type I epithelial cells
• Permit gas exchange by simple diffusion
• Secrete angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)
• Type II cells secrete surfactant
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Respiratory Membrane
type I alveolar cells occupy about 95% of the alveolar surface area and
are very thin so that gases can diffuse rapidly through them
Copyright © 2004 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings Figure 22.9c ,d
Alveoli
• Surrounded by fine elastic fibers
• Contain open pores that:
• Connect adjacent alveoli
• Allow air pressure throughout the lung to be
equalized
• House macrophages that keep alveolar surfaces
sterile
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Respiratory Membrane
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Summary
• Diaphragm & Rib cage are Pumps for Inspiration
• Alveolar Surface Exchanges O2 & CO2 with blood
• The gasses in air act independently & move down a
pressure gradient
• Airway Resistance can limit Ventilation Efficiency
• Typically Ventilation matches Blood Perfusion via
Local Regulators of Vasodilation & Bronchodilation
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