THE TISSUES OF THE

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
By: Tania Rao
What tissues of lungs are damaged?
The damaged tissues in your lungs during smoking would be the following:
- Cilia
- Mucous membranes
- Alveoli
- Capillaries
- Water layers of the lungs
- Surfactant
How is our Cilia damaged while smoking?
The cilia sweep the germs and diseases away from the
mouth while the mucus secreted by the respiratory tubules
traps dirt and disease-causing organisms. Smoking
significantly impairs this housekeeping. Upon first
inhalation of smoke, the cilia's rate of beating slows. The
cilia gradually lose their ability to move and eventually
vanish. Loss of cilia leads to the development of the
smokers' cough. Mucus can now be coughed up because the
cilia are unable to remove it effectively. Coughing is
typically worse in the morning because mucus has
accumulated during the night.
How does smoking affect the mucous membrane?
The bronchi cells are irritated by cigarette smoke, and these
irritated cells cause a layer of mucus to be produced. In order to
stop irritating the cells, mucus is intended to trap these foreign
particles. Then, through the tar in cigarette smoke, the Cilia are
supposed to sweep this layer of mucus away. The Cilia's action is
slowed by the smoke, which leads to an accumulation of mucus.
How does smoking affect the surfactant and the water layers of the lungs?

As carbon dioxide diffuses from the capillaries to the

alveoli, oxygen passes through the water layer from the
alveoli to the capillaries. The nicotine and extra effort
required to diffuse oxygen and carbon dioxide into and
out of the capillaries damages the aqueous layer. Most
studies have shown that smoking reduces the amount of
phospholipids in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
Additionally, some components of smoke have a direct
cleansing effect on surfactants, while others alter
circulation or excretion.
How does smoking affect the capillaries?

Smoking can thicken the walls of the capillaries in the lungs

and cause scarring. Small blood vessels called capillaries
allow oxygen to pass through and reach the body's tissues.
Low oxygen levels can be the result of capillary damage.
Smoking has been shown in a recent study that it can cause
the blood vessels to narrow. Plaque begins to form on the
walls of the blood vessels, which in some cases can cause a
heart attack or a stroke.
How does smoking affect the alveoli?

Smoking affects the alveoli in the lungs because when the red blood cells absorb oxygen it
becomes unhealthy for your lungs and can become really dangerous. Through the
capillaries that line the alveolar walls, oxygen is transported to the blood. The toxins in
tobacco smoke harm the lining of the lungs and irritate sensitive tissue in the bronchioles
and alveoli. The lining of the lungs develops scarring from smoking's chronic
inflammation.