Functions of the

RESPIRATORY

SYSTEM
1. Regulation of blood pH- change of
carbon dioxide level.
2. Gas exchange- oxygen from air enter
the blood and carbon dioxide from the
blood enter air. Cardiovascular system
transport oxygen from the lungs to the
body cells and carbon dioxide from the
body cells to lungs.
3. Voice production- air movement pas
the vocal cords makes sound and
speech possible.
4. Olfaction- the sensation of smell
occurs when airborne molecules are
drawn into the nasal cavity.
5. Innate immunity- protects against
some microorganisms by preventing
them from entering the body.

LUNGS

Lungs are the principal organs of

respiration.

Mechanic ventilation and

respiratory volumes

Ventilation, or breathing is the

process of moving air into and out
of lungs.

2 phases of ventilation:

Each lung is cone shaped, with its

base resting on the diaphragm.

Inspiration or inhalation,
movement air into the lungs.

Right lung has 3 lobes, left lung has

2 lobes.

Expiration or exhalation,
movement of air out of the
lungs.

From trachea- bronchus -bronchi bronchioles - terminal bronchioles

-respiratory bronchioles
alveolar
ducts - aLveoli.

Gas exchange

The volume and pressure

changes responsible for one cycle of
inspiration and expiration can be
describe as follows:

1. At the end of expiration, alveolar

pressure is equal to
atmospheric pressure, and there is no air
movement.

Gas exchange between air and blood

occurs in the respiratory membrane of
the lungs.

Major area of gas exchange is in the

alveoli, although some takes place in
the respiratory bronchioles and
alveolar ducts.

The exchange of gases across the

respiratory membrane is influenced by
the thickness of the membrane, total
surface area of the respiratory
membrane, and partial pressure of
gasses across the membrane.

Respiratory membrane thickness

2. During inspiration, increased thoracic

volume results in
increased alveolar pressure.
Atmospheric pressure greater
than alveolar pressure, and air moves
into the lungs.
3. At the end of inspiration, alveolar
pressure equal to atmospheric

Respiratory membrane increase during

certain respiratory diseases

pressure, and there is no air movement.

Surface area

Total surface area of the

respiratory membrane is about
70 square meters(m) in the
normal adult approximately half
the size of basketball court.

Under resting conditions, a

decrease in the surface area of
the respiratory membrane to
1/3 or 1/4 of normal can
significantly restrict gas
exchange.

4. During expiration, decreased thoracic

volume results in
decreased alveolar volume and increase
alveolar pressure.
Alveolar pressure is greater than
atmospheric pressure, and air
moves out of the lungs.

Partial pressure

Gas move from higher to lower

concentration. Partial pressure
exerted by a specific gas in a
mixture of gases, such as air.

5. An enzyme called carbonic anhydrase is

located inside red blood cells and on the
surface of capillary epithelial cells.

Oxygen transport

1. After oxygen diffuses through the

respiratory membrane into the blood,
about 98.5% of the oxygen
transported in the blood combines
reversibly with heme group of
hemoglobin.
2. 1.5 % of remain O dissolved in the
plasma.
3. Hemoglobin with O bound to its heme
groups is called oxyhemoglobin.

Carbonic anhydrase increases the rate at

which CO react with water to form H+ and
HCO3in the tissue capillaries

Carbon Dioxide Transport and

Blood pH
o

Carbon dioxide diffuses from cells,

where it is produced, into the
tissue capillaries.

After carbon dioxide enters the

blood, it is transported in 3 ways:

About 7% is transported as
carbon dioxide dissolved in
the plasma.

23% is transported in
combination with blood
proteins, primarily
hemoglobin.

70% is transported in the

form of bicarbonate ions.

4. Carbon dioxide (CO2) reacts with water

to form carbonic acid (H2CO3), which
then dissociates to form H+ and
bicarbonate ions (HCO3):

Carbonic anhydrase promotes the

uptake of CO by red blood cells

In the capillaries of the lungs, the

process is reversed, so that H+ and
HCO3 combine to produce HCO3, which
then forms CO and HO.

The CO diffuses into the alveoli and is

expired.

Carbon dioxide has an important effect

on the pH of blood.

CO increase, blood pH decrease

(become more acidic) because CO react
with H O to form HCO3 .

The H+ result from the dissociation of

HCO3 are responsible for the decrease
in pH.

SUMMARY

External respiration is the exchange of

gases between alveolar air and
pulmonary blood capillaries.

Internal respiration is the exchange of

gases between systemic tissue
capillaries and systemic tissue cells.

98.5% of O carried by the irons of the

heme in hemoglobin, 1.5 % is dissolved
in plasma.

CO transported in 3 ways, 70% is

converted to bicarbonate ions (HCO3),

23% combine with the globin of

hemoglobin, 7% is dissolved in plasma.

Partial pressure of a gas (Px) is the

pressure exerted by the gas in a mixture
of gases.

pulmonary ventilation(breathing)
consists of inhalation and exhalation, the
movement of air into and out of lugs. Air
flow from higher pressure to lower
pressure.