RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

OVERVIEW ● Passageway for respiration

HUMAN RESPIRATION
● The human respiratory system allows one to
obtain oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide
● Breathing consists of two phases:
○ Inspiration - process of taking air
- Contraction of diaphragm and
intercostal muscles
○ Expiration - process of blowing out air
- Relaxation of diaphragm and
intercostal muscles
● Receptors for smell
● Filters incoming air to filter larger foreign
material
● Moistens and warms incoming air
● Resonating chambers for voice
STRUCTURES
NOSE
● Warms and moistens air
Palantine Bone
● Separates nasal cavity from mouth
Cleft Palate
● Incorrectly formed palatine bone;
difficulty in swallowing and speaking
Septum
● Separates right and left nostrils
● Rich blood supply = nose bleed(s)
Sinuses
● 4 air containing spaces – open or drain into
the nose (lowers weight of skull)

PHARYNX (THROAT)
● Warms and moistens air
● Base of skull to esophagus
FUNCTIONS ● Phonation = changes shape to allow for vowel
sounds
● Air distributor
● Gas exchanger 3 Divisions
● Filters, warms, and humidifies air
a. Nasopharynx
● Influences speech
Behinds nose to soft palate
●
● Allows for sense of smell
Adenoids swell and block
●
b. Oropharynx
ORGANS PRESENT ● Behind mouth, soft palate to hyoid bone
STRUCTURE FUNCTION c. Laropharynx
NOSE/NASAL CAVITY ● Warms, moistens, and ● Hyoid bone to esophagus
filters air as it is inhaled
PHARYNX (THROAT) ● Passageway for air, leads PHARYNX (THROAT)
to the trachea ● Warms and moistens air
● Voice box ● Base of skull to esophagus
LARYNX ● Where vocal chords are ● Phonation – changes shape to allow for vowel
located sounds
● Keeps the windpipe
TRACHEA “open” LARYNX (VOICE BOX)
(WINDPIPE) ● Lined with fine hairs ● Root of tongue to upper end of trachea
(cilia) – filters air before it ● Made of cartilage
reaches the lungs
● Two branches at the end Thyroid Cartilage (Adam’s apple)
BRONCHI of the trachea ● Larger in males due to testosterone
● Each leads to a lung Epiglottis
● Flap of skin (hatch) on trachea, moves when
● Network of smaller
swallowing and speaking
branches leading from
● Closes off trachea when swallowing food
BRONCHIOLES the bronchi into the lung
tissue and ultimately to 2 Pairs of Folds
air sacs a. False vocal cords – Vestibular
● Functional respiratory b. True vocal cords
ALVEOLI units in the lungs
● Gases are exchanged
here

UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT

FUNCTIONS
 LOWER RESPIRATORY TRACT ● Normal value = 1000-1200 ml
FUNCTIONS INSPIRATORY RESERVE VOLUME
● Deep breath
TRACHEA (WINDPIPE) ● Amount of air that can be forcibly inhaled
● Larynx to bronchi over and above normal
● Consists of; smooth cartilage and C-shaped rings RESIDUAL VOLUME
of cartilage ● Amount of air that stays trapped in the alveoli
● Normal value = about 1.2L
Tracheostomy VITAL CAPACITY
● Cutting of an opening in the trachea to allow ● Largest volume of air an individual can move
breathing in and out of the lungs
● Vital Capacity = sum of IRV + TV + ERV
BRONCHI ● Factors affecting vital capacity:
● Tubes that branches off the trachea and enters ○ Size of throacic cavity
into the lungs ○ Posture
● Ciliated – has tiny hair-like projections called ○ Volume of blood in lungs → congestive
cilia heart failure, emphysema, disease(s), etc.
● Bronchioles branch into microscopic alveolar EUPNEA
ducts – terminates into alveolar sacs ● Normal quiet breathing
● Gas exchange with blood occurs in sacs ● 12-17 breaths per minute
HYPERPNEA
Branches
● Increase in breathing to meet an increased
● Primary
demand by the body for oxygen
● Bronchi–Secondary
● Bronchi–Tertiary HYPERVENTILATION
● Bronchi–Bronchioles ● Increase in pulmonary ventilation over the
need for oxygen
LUNGS HYPOVENTILATION
● Decrease in pulmonary ventilation
● Extends from diaphragm to clavicles
● Divided into lobes by fissures APNEA
● Visceral Pleura adheres to the lungs ● Temporary cessation of breathing at the end
of normal expiration
Pleurisy
● Inflammation of the pleural lining Heimlich Maneuver
● Lifesaving technique - used to open a
windpipe that is suddenly obstructed
RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY ● Air already in lungs used to expel object
● Pulmonary Ventilation = breathing
Mechanism MALFUNCTIONS AND DISEASES
● Movement of gases through a pressure ASTHMA ● Severe allergic reaction
gradient - high to low ● Constriction of bronchioles
○ When atmospheric pressure; BRONCHITIS ● Inflammation of the lining
760mmHg is greater than lung of the bronchioles
pressure, air flows in (inspiration) ● Alveoli is deteriorated,
○ When lung pressure is greater than EMPHYSEMA causing the lungs to lose
atmospheric pressure, air flows out their elasticity
(expiration) ● Alveoli is filled with fluid,
● Pressure graidents are established by PNEUMONIA preventing the exchange of
changes in thoracic cavity gases
○ Increase size in thorax = decrease in ● Irregular and uncontrolled
pressure = air moves in LUNG CANCER growth of tumors in the
○ Decrease size in thorax = increase in lung tissue
pressure = air moves out
RESPIRATION PROCESS

1. Breathing (Ventilation): air in to and out of

lungs
VOLUMES OF AIR EXCHANGE
2. External respiration: gas exchange between air
and blood
TIDAL VOLUME 3. Internal respiration: gas exchange between
● Amount of air exhaled normally after a typical blood and tissues
inspiration 4. Cellular respiration: oxygen is used to produce
● Normal value = 500 ml ATP, carbon dioxide as waste

EXPIRATORY RESERVE VOLUME

● Additional amount of air forcibly expired
after tidal expiration