Respiratory System

Gas exchange
 What is Human Respiration?
 The human respiratory system allows one to
obtain oxygen, eliminate carbon dioxide.
 Breathing consists of two phases, inspiration
and expiration
 Inspiration- the process of taking in air

 Expiration- the process of blowing out air

Human Respiratory System

Figure 10.1
 Organs in the Respiratory System
STRUCTURE FUNCTION
warms, moistens, & filters air as it is
nose / nasal cavity
inhaled
pharynx (throat) passageway for air, leads to trachea
the voice box, where vocal chords are
larynx
located

keeps the windpipe "open"

trachea is lined with fine hairs called
trachea (windpipe)
cilia which filter air before it reaches the
lungs
two branches at the end of the trachea,
bronchi
each lead to a lung
a network of smaller branches leading from
bronchioles the bronchi into the lung tissue &
ultimately to air sacs
the functional respiratory units in the lung
alveoli
where gases are exchanged
Upper Respiratory Tract Functions

 Passageway for respiration

 Receptors for smell

 Filters incoming air to filter larger foreign

material
 Moistens and warms incoming air

 Resonating chambers for voice

Components of the Lower
Respiratory Tract

Figure 10.3
 Lower Respiratory Tract

 Functions:
 Larynx: maintains an open airway, routes food
and air appropriately, assists in sound production
 Trachea: transports air to and from lungs

 Bronchi: branch into lungs

 Lungs: transport air to alveoli for gas exchange

Respiratory system function

• Respiratory systems allow animals to

move oxygen (needed for cellular
respiration) into body tissues and
remove carbon dioxide (waste product
of cellular respiration) from cells.
 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.
 Gas exchange by Diffusion

• Some animals simply

allow gases to diffuse
through their skins.
• These animals have a
low metabolic rate.
Why?
• All of these are aquatic
animals. Why?
 Moving air in and out
• During inspiration
(inhalation), the
diaphragm and
intercostal muscles
contract.

• During exhalation,
these muscles relax.
The diaphragm
domes upwards.
Respiratory Cycle

Figure 10.9
Most of the oxygen in blood is:
25% 25% 25% 25%
1. In the white cells.
2. Bound to
hemoglobin.
3. Combined with
carbon to make
carbon dioxide.
4. Dissolved in the
plasma.

1 2 3 4
 Effects of smoking
• Inhaled smoke contains:
Gross, isn’t it?

• CO2, which affects the

CO2 diffusion gradient.

• carcinogenic chemicals
that can trigger tumors.

• toxic nicotine, which

paralyzes cilia that
normally clean the
lungs.
 Emphysema
• Besides cancer, smoking
can also lead to
emphysema. Alveoli
become dry and brittle,
and eventually rupture.

• Both active and passive

smoking (“second-
hand” smoke) can lead
to can lead to lung All types of smoke, not just tobacco, can
problems. cause cancers and emphysema.
 Cystic Fibrosis
• Cystic fibrosis is one of
the most common
inherited disorders in
the Caucasian
population in the U.S.

• CF is caused by
mutation of a single
gene, the CFTR gene,
which controls salt
balance in the lungs.