XI.

RESPIRATORY
SYSTEM
Ms. Anne Rose L. Calimlim, RN, MAN
PRMSU- Iba, Main Campus
SY: 2021-2022
RESPIRATION PROCESS
1. Ventilation or breathing: the movement of air into and out of the lungs.
2. The exchange of oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) between the air in the lungs and the
blood.
3. The transport of O2 and CO2 in the blood.
4. The exchange of O2 and CO2 between the blood and the tissues.
FUNCTIONS OF THE
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
1. Regulation of blood pH.
2. Voice production.
3. Olfaction.
4. Innate immunity.
NON-RESPIRATORY
FUNCTIONS
Actions can be caused by reflexes or voluntary actions
Examples:
1. Cough: clears lungs of debris
2. Sneeze: clears upper respiratory tract
3. Yawn: deep inspiration triggered by ???
4. Hiccup: phrenic nerve is irritated which leads to rhythmic spasms.
ANATOMY OF THE
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
2 divisions:
1. Upper respiratory tract: the nose, the pharynx
(throat) and the larynx.
2. Lower respiratory tract: the trachea, the
bronchi and the lungs.
1. NOSE
Nares or nostrils: external opening of the nose
Choanae: the openings into the pharynx
Nasal cavity: extends from the nares to the choanae
Hard palate: forms the floor of the nasal cavity, separating the nasal cavity
from the oral cavity.
Nasal septum: partition dividing the nasal cavity into left to right parts.
Deviated nasal septum:
occurs when the septum
bulges to one side.
Conchae:
3 prominent bony ridges. Present
on the lateral walls on each side
of the nasal cavity. The conchae
increase the surface area of the
nasal cavity and cause air to
churn, so that it can be cleansed,
humidified and warmed.
Paranasal Sinuses:
Air-filled spaces within bone. They
include the frontal sinus, ethmoid
sinus, maxillary sinus and sphenoid
sinus.
The paranasal sinuses open into the
nasal cavity and are lined with a
mucous membrane. They reduce the
weight of the skull, produce mucus,
and influence the quality of voice
by acting as resonating chambers.
Sinusitis: inflammation of the
mucous membrane of a sinus.
Nasolacrimal gland:
Carries tears from the eyes which
also opens up into the nasal cavity.
NOSE/NASAL CAVITY
PROCESS
1. The coarse hairs inside the nares and the mucus produced trap large dust
particles.
2. Cilia sweep the debris-laden mucus toward the pharynx where it is
swallowed. The acid in the stomach kills any bacteria that were trapped by
the mucus.
3. Air is warmed by the blood vessels underlying the mucous epithelium. It is
humidified by moisture.
2. PHARYNX
3 regions:
1. Nasopharynx
2. Oropharynx
3. Laryngopharynx
Nasopharynx:
Located posterior to the choanae and superior to
the soft palate. The uvula is the posterior
extension of the soft palate.
The posterior part of the nasopharynx contains the
pharyngeal tonsil, which helps defend the body
against infection.
Oropharynx:
Extends from the uvula to the epiglottis, and the
oral cavity opens into the oropharynx. Thus, all
food, drink and air all pass through the
oropharynx.
The oropharynx is lined with stratified squamous
epithelium, which protects against abrasion.
Laryngopharynx:
Passes posterior to the larynx and
extends from the tip of the epiglottis
to the esophagus.
Food and drink passes through the
laryngopharynx to the esophagus.
3. LARYNX
 Known as the voice box, located in the
anterior throat and extends from the base of
the tongue to the trachea.
 Consists of 9 cartilages: 3 single and 3 paired.

Thyroid cartilage (Adam's apple): first single

and largest cartilage.
Cricoid cartilage: second single and most
inferior cartilage of the larynx. Forms the base
of the larynx on which other cartilages rest.
Both maintains an open passageway for air
movement.
Epiglottis: the third cartilage.
Differs from other cartilages in that it consists of
elastic cartilage rather than hyaline cartilage.
The epiglottis protects the airway during
swallowing. It prevents swallowed materials
from entering the larynx by covering the glottis
(the opening of the larynx).
As the larynx elevates during swallowing, the
epiglottis tips posteriorly to cover the glottis.
3 pairs of cartilages, include:
 Cuneiform cartilage
 Corniculate cartilage
 Arytenoid cartilage

They form an attachment site for the vocal cords.

1. Vestibular folds (false vocal cords)
2. Vocal folds (true vocal cords)
When the vestibular folds come together, they prevent
the air from leaving the lungs (like when you hold your
breath).
Air moving past the vocal folds causes them to vibrate,
producing sound.
Muscles control the length and tension of the vocal
cords.
Inflammation of the vocal folds is called laryngitis.
3 MAIN FUNCTIONS OF
LARYNX:
1. Maintains an open airway.
2. Protects the airway during swallowing.
3. Produces the voice.
 4. TRACHEA
 Also known as the windpipe, allows air to flow to the
lungs.
 Consists of connective tissue and smooth muscle,
reinforced with 16-20 c-shaped pieces of hyaline
cartilage.
 The trachea projects through the mediastinum and divides
into the right and left primary bronchi.
 5. BRONCHI
 The trachea divides into the left and right main
bronchi or primary bronchi, each of which connects
to a lung.
 The left main bronchus is more horizontal the right
because its displaced by the heart.
 6. LUNGS
 The principal organs of respiration.
 Cone shaped, with its base resting on the
diaphragm and its apex extending superiorly to a
point about 2.5 cm above the clavicle.
 The tracheobronchial tree consists
of the main bronchi and many
branches.
 Each main bronchus divides into a
secondary bronchi. 2 lobar bronchi
in the left lung and 3 lobar bronchi
in the right lung.
 The lobar bronchi in turn divide into
tertiary bronchi, which lead to the
bronchopulmonary segments of the
lungs.
 The bronchi continue to branch
many times, finally giving rise to
the bronchioles.
 The bronchioles also subdivide numerous
times to give rise to terminal
bronchioles, which then subdivide into
respiratory bronchioles.
 Each respiratory bronchiole subdivides to
form alveolar ducts, long, branching
ducts with many openings into alveoli.
 The alveolar ducts end as 2 or 3 alveolar
sacs, which are chambers connected to
two or more alveoli.
 Alveoli are small air-filled chambers
where the air and the blood come into
close contact with each other. There are
about 300 million alveoli in the lungs.
 The alveoli are so numerous that the
alveolar duct wall is little more than a
succession of alveoli.
 PLEURAL CAVITIES
 Each lung is surrounded by a separate
pleural cavity.
 Each pleural cavity is lines with a serous
membrane called the pleura.
 Parietal pleura lines the walls of the thorax,
diaphragm and mediastinum.
 Visceral pleura covers the surface of the
lungs.
VENTILATION
 Also known as breathing.

2 phases of Ventilation:
1. Inspiration (inhalation): the movement of air into the lungs.
2. Respiration (exhalation): the movement of air out of the lungs.
Ventilation is regulated by changes in the thoracic volume, which produce changes air pressure
within the lungs.
 CHANGING THORACIC
VOLUME

The muscles associated with the ribs are responsible for ventilation.
Muscles of inspiration: diaphragm and external intercostals which elevates the ribs and sternum. The diaphragm is a large dome
of skeletal muscle that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity.
Muscles of expiration: internal intercostals which depress the ribs and sternum.
RESPIRATORY VOLUMES AND
CAPACITIES
 Spirometry is the process of measuring volumes of air that move into and out of
the respiratory system.
 Spirometer is the device that measures these respiratory volumes.
 Measurements of the respiratory volumes can provide information about the
health of the lungs.
 Respiratory volumes are measures of the amount of air movement during
different portions of ventilation.
 Respiratory capacities are sums of two or more respiratory volumes.
 The total volume of air contained in the respiratory system ranges from 4 to 6 L.
4 RESPIRATORY VOLUMES
1. Tidal volume: volume of air inspired or expired with each breath. At rest,
quiet breathing results in tidal volume of about 500mL.
2. Inspiratory reserve volume: amount of air that can be inspired forcefully
beyond the resting tidal volume (about 3000mL).
3. Expiratory reserve volume: amount of air that can be expired forcefully
beyond the resting tidal volume (about 1100mL).
4. Residual volume: volume of air still remaining in the respiratory passages
and lungs after maximum respiration (about 1200mL).
The tidal volume increases during physical activity. The increase in the tidal
volume reduces the inspiratory and expiratory volumes, but total lung capacity
stays relatively constant.
 EXTERNAL RESPIRATION EXCHANGES
GASES BETWEEN THE LUNGS AND THE
BLOODSTREAM
Inside the lungs, oxygen is exchanged for carbon
dioxide waste through the process called external
respiration.
This respiratory process takes place through hundreds of
millions of microscopic sacs called alveoli.
Oxygen from inhaled air diffuses from the alveoli into
pulmonary capillaries surrounding them. It binds to
hemoglobin molecules in red blood cells and is pumped
through the bloodstream.
Meanwhile, carbon dioxide from deoxygenated blood
diffuses from the capillaries into the alveoli and is
expelled through exhalation.
RED BLOOD CELL
Red blood cells carry
inhaled oxygen to the
body's tissues and bring
carbon dioxide back to
the lungs to be exhaled.