Respiratory System

Chapter 10

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 Points to ponder
• What are the parts and functions of the upper
and lower respiratory system?
• What is the mechanism for expiration and
inspiration?
• How is breathing controlled by the nervous
system and through chemicals?
• Where and how is exchange of gases
accomplished?
• What are some common respiratory infections
and disorders?
• What do you know about tobacco and health?
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Overview of the respiratory system

Nasal cavity
filters, wa rm s, and m oistens air

Pharynx
passage way w here pathway
for air a nd food c ross
Upper
Respiratory Glottis
Tra ct space betwe en the vocal chords;
ope ning to larynx

Larynx
(voice box) ; produce s s ound

Tra che a
(w ind pipe) ; passage of a ir
to bronchi

Bronchus
passage of a ir to lungs

Bronchioles
passage of a ir to alveoli
Low er
Respiratory
Tra ct Lung
contains alveoli (air sa cs);
carrie s out gas ex cha nge

Dia phragm
ske let al muscle; functions
in ventilation

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What is the pathway that air follows?
nose
pharynx
larynx
trachea
bronchus
bronchioles
alveoli

4
What constitutes the upper respiratory
tract?
• Nose sinus

nasal cavity
sinus

hard tonsil

• Pharynx palate Pharynx

nasopharynx
nares
uvula
mouth

• Larynx tongue
tonsils
oropharynx

epiglottis
laryngo-
pharynx
glottis

larynx esophagus

trachea

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 The nose
• The nose opens at the nostrils/nares and leads
into the nasal cavities.

• Hairs and mucus in the nose filter the air.

• The nasal cavity has a lot of capillaries that warm

and moisten the air.

• Specialized cells act as odor receptors.

• Tear glands drain into the nasal cavities that can

lead to a runny nose.
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 The pharynx
• The pharynx is a funnel-shaped cavity commonly called the throat.
Common opening for digestive and respiratory systems

• It has several portions based on location. Soft palate and Epiglottis

are two important components that control the movement of air and
food into respective channel. e.g., when soft palate is elevated and
epiglottis tilts posteriorly, food enters into esophagus through which it
goes to remaining digestive tract.

• It contains many tonsils that provide a lymphatic/immune defense

during breathing at the junction of the oral cavity and pharynx. It has
palatine tonsil, which is commonly known as tonsil

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8
 The larynx
• The larynx is a structure that passes air
between the pharynx and trachea.

• It is called the voice box and houses vocal

cords.

• There are two mucosal folds that make up the

vocal cords with an opening in the middle
called the glottis.

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 The larynx

base of
tongue
epiglottis
vocal
cords

glottis

(left): © CNRI Phototake

Figure 10.4 The vocal cords.

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What constitutes the lower respiratory
tract?

• Trachea Nasal cavity

filters, wa rm s, and m oistens air

Pharynx
passage way w here pathway
for air a nd food c ross
Upper
Respiratory Glottis
Tra ct space betwe en the vocal chords;
ope ning to larynx

• Bronchial Larynx
(voice box) ; produce s s ound

tree Tra che a

(w ind pipe) ; passage of a ir
to bronchi

Bronchus
passage of a ir to lungs

Bronchioles

• Lungs
passage of a ir to alveoli
Low er
Respiratory
Tra ct Lung
contains alveoli (air sa cs);
carrie s out gas ex cha nge

Dia phragm
ske let al muscle; functions
in ventilation

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 The trachea
• The trachea is a tube, often called the
windpipe, that connects the larynx with the
primary bronchi.
• It is made of connective tissue, smooth
muscle, and cartilaginous rings. While
smooth muscle helps contract trachea, the
“C”-shaped connective tissue prevents
collapsing of trachea.
• The trachea is lined with cilia and mucus that
help keep the lungs clean.

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The trachea
cilia
goblet cell

epithelial
cell

particle
movement

mucus

air

tracheal
lumen

(bo ttom half): © ED Reschke

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 The bronchial tree
• Trachea divides into right and left primary bronchi (lungs).
Cartilage at bifurcation is called Carina. Membrane of
carina is very sensitive to irritation and inhaled objects &
initiate the cough reflex. Coughing dislodges materials
from trachea. Materials in the air passageway inferior to
carina do not usually stimulate a cough reflex.

• The bronchial tree starts with two main bronchi that lead
from the trachea into the lungs.

• The bronchi continue to branch until they are small

bronchioles.

• Bronchioles eventually lead to sacs called alveoli.

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The bronchial
tree
Trachea

Primary bronchi

Secondary bronchi

Tertiary bronchi

Bronchioles
Terminal Bronchioles
Terminal bronchioles
Respiratory Bronchioles

Respiratory bronchioles Alveolar ducts

Alveoli

Alveolar ducts open into

Alveoli/Alveolar sac Alveolar sac

(approximately 300 millions

of alveoli).

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 The lungs
• The secondary bronchi, bronchioles, and
alveoli make up the lungs.

• The right lung has three lobes while the left

lung has two lobes.

• Each lobe is divided into lobules.

• Each lung is enclosed by membranes called

pleura.

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 The alveoli

• There are 300 million alveoli in the lungs that

greatly increase surface area.

• Alveoli are enveloped by blood capillaries.

• The alveoli and capillaries are involved in gas

exchange.

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 Ventilation & Respiration
• Ventilation: Movement of air into and
out of lungs
• External respiration: Gas exchange
between air in lungs and blood
• Transport of oxygen and carbon
dioxide in the blood
• Internal respiration: Gas exchange
between the blood and tissues

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 Two phases of breathing/ventilation
1. Inspiration/Inhalation – brings air into the lungs

2. Expiration/Exhalation –expels air from the lungs

While breathing could be both quiet and forced (labored), quiet

breathing could again be deep (diaphragmatic) or shallow (costal).
Deep breathing: depends more on diaphragm and the shallow
breathing results from alteration of the shape of rib cage.
Diaphragmatic breathing: is used during typical normal activities.
Costal breathing: Under conditions like overeating, pregnancy
when abdomen is full, diaphragm movement becomes restricted and
that initiates costal breathing.
In both cases of quiet breathing, exhalation is a passive process but that
of for forced breathing is an active process.

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 Inspiration
• The diaphragm and intercostal muscles contract.

• The diaphragm flattens and the rib cage moves

upward and outward.

• Volume of the thoracic cavity and lungs increase.

• The air pressure within the lungs decreases.

• Air flows into the lungs.

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 Expiration
• The diaphragm and intercostal muscles relax.

• The diaphragm moves upward and becomes

dome-shaped.

• The rib cage moves downward and inward.

• Volume of the thoracic cavity and lungs decreases.

• The air pressure within the lungs increases.

• Air flows out of the lungs.

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 Ventilation
- In order to flow air into or out of the lung, there are two types
of pressure that come into play: (1) the gas pressure in the
alveoli (Palv) & (2) the gas pressure at the nose & mouth,
normally atmospheric pressure (Patm), which is also the
pressure of the air surrounding the body (760 mm of mercury).

As air always flows from high pressure to low pressure

➢ During Inspiration or inhalation (breathe in): Palv is less than Patm
➢ During Expiration or exhalation (breathe out): Patm is less than Palv .
➢ When Palv & Patm are equal, there is no air flow.

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 Different volumes of air during breathing

• Tidal volume – the small amount of air that usually moves in

and out with each breath
• Inspiratory reserve volume – the increased volume of air
moving in the body after the tidal volume
• Expiratory reserve volume – the increased volume of air
moving out of the body after the tidal volume
• Vital capacity – the maximum volume of air that can be
moved in plus the maximum amount that can be moved out
during one breath
• Residual volume – the air remaining in the lungs after
exhalation

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 Visualizing the vital capacity

5,800

maximum inspiratory
4,800 expiration reserve
maximum volume
inspiration
Average Lung Volume (ml)

3,600 vital
capacity
total
2,900 Lung
tidal
capacity
2,400 volume

expiratory
reserve
volume
1,200
residual residual
volume volume
0
© Veronique Burger/Science Source

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Exchange of gases in the body
• Oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged.

• The exchange of gases is dependent on

diffusion.

• Partial pressure is the amount of pressure each

gas exerts (PCO2 or PO2).

• Oxygen and carbon dioxide will diffuse from the

area of higher to the area of lower partial
pressure.
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 External respiration
• Exchange of gases between the lung alveoli
and the blood capillaries.

• PCO2 is higher in the lung capillaries than the

alveoli, thus CO2 diffuses out of the plasma
into the lungs.

• The partial pressure pattern for O2 is just the

opposite, so O2 diffuses the red blood cells in
the lungs.

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 External respiration
Carbon dioxide transport: carbonic
H+ + HCO3- H2CO3 anhydrase H2O + CO2

Oxygen transport:
Hb + O2 HbO2

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 Internal respiration
• The exchange of gases between the blood in
the capillaries outside of the lungs and the
tissue fluid.

• PO2 is higher in the capillaries than the tissue

fluid, thus O2 diffuses out of the blood into
the tissues.

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 Internal respiration
Oxyhemoglobin gives up oxygen:
HbO2 Hb + O2

Most CO2 is carried as a bicarbonate ion:

carbonic
CO2 + H2O anhydrase H2CO3 H+ + HCO3-

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 Upper respiratory tract
infections
• Sinusitis – blockage of sinuses

• Otitis media – infection of the middle ear

• Tonsillitis – inflammation of the tonsils

• Laryngitis – infection of the larynx that leads

to loss of voice

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Lower respiratory tract disorders
• Emphysema – chronic, incurable disorder in
which alveoli are damaged, and thus the surface
area for gas exchange is reduced

• Asthma – bronchial tree becomes irritated

causing breathlessness, wheezing, and
coughing

• Lung cancer – uncontrolled cell division in the

lungs that is often caused by smoking and can
lead to death

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