The Islamic University, Najaf

College of Medical Techniques

Department of Radiology Techniques

Medical Physiology
First stage

2021-2022

Lecture (7)

Respiratory System

Dr. Ahmed Hussein Zwamel

PhD in Physiology of Reproduction and Clinical Embryology

ahmed.hussein.ali@iunajaf.edu.iq
 Medical Physiology
Lecture (7)

Dr. Ahmed Hussein Zwamel

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lecture Objectives

By the end of this lecture, the students should be able to:

1) Describe the respiratory system

2) Understand the functions of the respiratory system.
3) Understand the volumes and capacities of the lungs.

Lecture Contents

• What is the respiratory system?

• How do we breathe?
• Mechanics of pulmonary ventilation
• Pulmonary volumes and capacities

2
 Medical Physiology
Lecture (7)

Dr. Ahmed Hussein Zwamel

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Respiratory System
What is the respiratory system?
The respiratory system is the organs and other parts of the body involved in
breathing, when exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide. The respiratory system
consists of the nose, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe),
bronchi, and lungs (Figure 1). Its parts can be classified according to either structure
or function. Structurally, the respiratory system consists of two parts:

(1) The upper respiratory system includes the nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, and
associated structures.

(2) The lower respiratory system includes the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
Functionally, the respiratory system also consists of two parts:

(1) The conducting zone consists of a series of inter-connecting cavities and tubes
both outside and within the lungs. These include the nose, nasal cavity, pharynx,
larynx, trachea, bronchi,
bronchioles, and terminal
bronchioles; their function is to
filter, warm, and moisten air and
conduct it into the lungs.

(2) The respiratory zone

consists of tubes and tissues
within the lungs where gas
exchange occurs. These include
the respiratory bronchioles,
alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs, and Figure 1: Respiratory system

alveoli and are the main sites of gas exchange between air and blood.

3
 Medical Physiology
Lecture (7)

Dr. Ahmed Hussein Zwamel

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How do we breathe?

Breathing starts when the person inhale air into the nose or mouth. It travels
down the back of the throat
and into the trachea, which
is divided into air passages
called bronchial tubes. As
the bronchial tubes pass
through the lungs, they
divide into smaller air
passages called
bronchioles. The
Figure 2: Branching of airways from
bronchioles end in tiny the trachea: the bronchial tree
balloon-like air sacs called alveoli. The human
body has about 600 million alveoli.

The alveoli are surrounded by a mesh of

tiny blood vessels called capillaries. Here,
oxygen from inhaled air passes into the blood.

Mechanics of pulmonary ventilation

The lungs can be expanded and contracted

Figure 3: Microscopic anatomy of
in two ways: (1) by downward and upward movement a lobule of the lungs
…
of the diaphragm to lengthen or shorten the chest cavity, and (2) by elevation and
depression of the ribs to increase and decrease the anteroposterior diameter of the
chest cavity. Figure 4 shows these two methods.

4
 Medical Physiology
Lecture (7)

Dr. Ahmed Hussein Zwamel

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Normal quiet breathing is accomplished almost entirely by the first method,
that is, by movement of the diaphragm. The second method for expanding the lungs
is to raise the rib cage. Raising the rib cage expands the lungs.

Figure 4: Contraction and expansion of the thoracic cage during expiration and inspiration

Pulmonary volumes and capacities

Pulmonary ventilation can be studied by recording the volume movement of air

into and out of the lungs, a method called spirometry. Figure 5 shows a spirogram
indicating changes in lung volume under different conditions of breathing. For ease
in describing the events of pulmonary ventilation, the air in the lungs has been
subdivided in this diagram into four volumes and four capacities, which are the
average for a young adult man. Table 1 summarizes the average pulmonary
volumes and capacities.

Pulmonary volumes

There are four pulmonary lung volumes, that, when added together, equal the
maximum volume to which the lungs can be expanded. The significance of each of
these volumes is the following:

5
 Medical Physiology
Lecture (7)

Dr. Ahmed Hussein Zwamel

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. The tidal volume is the volume Table 1: Pulmonary volumes and capacities

of air inspired or expired with

each normal breath, it amounts
to about 500 milliliters in the
average adult male.
2. The inspiratory reserve
volume is the extra volume of
air that can be inspired over and
above the normal tidal volume
when the person inspires with full force; it is usually equal to about 3000
milliliters.
3. The expiratory reserve volume is the maximum extra volume of air that can be
expired by forceful expiration after the end of a normal tidal expiration; this
volume normally amounts to about 1100 milliliters.
4. The residual volume is the volume of air remaining in the lungs after the most
forceful expiration; this volume averages about 1200 milliliters.

Pulmonary capacities

It is some times desirable to consider two or more of the volumes together. Such
combinations are called pulmonary capacities. The important pulmonary capacities
can be described as follows:

1. The inspiratory capacity equals the tidal volume plus the inspiratory reserve
volume. This capacity is the amount of air (about 3500 milliliters) a person can
breathe in, beginning at the normal expiratory level and distending the lungs to
the maximum amount.

6
 Medical Physiology
Lecture (7)

Dr. Ahmed Hussein Zwamel

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The functional residual capacity equals the expiratory reserve volume plus the
residual volume. This capacity is the amount of air that remains in the lungs at the
end of normal expiration (about 2300 milliliters).
3. The vital capacity equals the inspiratory reserve volume plus the tidal volume
plus the expiratory reserve volume. This capacity is the maximum amount of air
a person can expel from the lungs after first filling the lungs to their maximum
extent and then expiring to the maximum extent (about 4600 milliliters).
4. The total lung capacity is the maximum volume to which the lungs can be
expanded with the greatest possible effort (about 5800 milliliters), it is equal to
the vital capacity plus the residual volume.

All pulmonary
volumes and capacities are
usually about 20 to 25
percent less in women than
in men, and they are greater
in large and athletic people
than in small and asthenic
people. Figure 5: A diagram showing respiratory excursions
during normal breathing and during maximal inspiration
and maximal expiration.