RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Defination:
• Respiration can be defined as biochemical
process by which foods are oxidized to liberate
energy.
OR
• Respiration is defined as a metabolic process
wherein, the living cells of an organism obtains
energy (in the form of ATP) by taking in
oxygen and liberating carbon dioxide from the
oxidation of complex organic substances.”
 Types of Respiration
• Depending upon the availability of
oxygen, there are two types of
respiration.

• Aerobic respiration
• Anaerobic respiration
Aerobic respiration

• It is type of cellular respiration that takes

place in the presence of oxygen to produce
energy.
• Highly efficient in compare to anaerobic
respiration.
• It release 38 ATP molecules from one
glucose molecule.
• It occurs in all higher organism.
• C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2+ 6H2O+  Energy
Anaerobic respiration
• It is a type of cellular respiration that takes
place in the absence of oxygen to produce
energy.
• Less efficient than aerobic respiration
• Release 2 ATP molecules from one glucose
molecule.
• It occurs in parasitic worms like Ascaris, yeast
cell etc.
• C6H12O6→ 2C2H5O H + 2CO2+ Energy
 Respiratory Organ in Human
Upper respiratory part
• Nostrils and Nasal chamber
• Internal nostril
• Larynx
Lower respiratory part
• Trachea
• Bronchi
• Alveoli
• Lungs
 i. Nostrils and Nasal chamber
• First external opening of nasal cavity.
• Two nostril separated by septum.
• Anterior portion is cartilaginous and
posterior portion is bony.
• Nasal cavity is divided into several bony
shelves called turbinates.
• Internally it is lined with mucous
membrane and ciliated epithelium.
Function of nasal passage:
• Prevent the entrance of dust into the lungs.
• Warm the incoming air due to immense
blood vessels radiating heat.
• Moisten the dry air.
• Detect smell due to presence of olfactory
receptors located in the roof of nose.
• Hold and sweep minute organism or
bacteria.
ii. Internal nostril or pharynx
• External nostril leads to internal nostril.
• It runs from the posterior oral and nasal cavities
to the opening of the esophagus and larynx.
• It has three parts Nasopharynx, Oropharynx and
Laryngopharynx.

•It is common passage to pass air and food. It

helps to flow the air towards the larynx.
iii. Larynx or Adam’s apple
• It is hollow cartilaginous structure.
• Opening glottis follows the larynx/voice box
• It is more developed in males than in females
• It is formed by three type of cartilages:
i. One Thyroid cartilage
ii. One Cricoid cartilage and
iii. Two arytenoid cartilage
• Pairs of membranous folds found between the
thyroid and arytenoid cartilage is called vocal
cord.
• Vocal cords are tightened by muscles and
produces various sound frequencies by it
vibrations .
iv. Trachea
• It is hollow straight tube
called windpipe.

• It measures about 12 cm
long and 2.5 cm wide
extending throughout
neck to upper part of
thoracic cavity.
• Externally supported by 16-20 C-shaped
incomplete cartilaginous ring called tracheal
rings.

• Tracheal rings support trachea and prevent it

from collapsing and obstruction of airway.

• It is lined with pseudo-stratified epithelium

with mucous secreting goblet cell which help
to keep the wall of the tube moist and traps
dust particles.
 v. Bronchi (sing. bronchus)
• The trachea divides into
left and right bronchi.

• Right is 2.5 cm and left

bronchi is 5 cm.

• Bronchi can be divided

into primary, secondary
and tertiary bronchi.
• The trachea divides into left and right bronchi
called primary bronchi.

• Right bronchus inside the lungs divides into three

smaller branches and left bronchus divided into
two branches called secondary bronchi.

• Secondary bronchi divides into tertiary bronchi

• The bronchi continue to divide smaller passageway
called bronchioles.

• Bronchioles finally leads to alveoli.

vi. Alveoli (sing. alveolus)
• Each bronchiole leads to tiny air sac called alveoli.
• There are about 150 million of alveoli in each
lung.
• They are surrounded by dense network of blood
capillaries.
• Outer layer of alveoli is lined with squamous cells.
• Septal cells present in between squamous cells
secrete surfactant, a phospholipid fluid which
prevent alveoli from drying out.
vii. Lungs
• Lungs are a pair of hollow, soft and spongy organ situated at
either side of the heart in thoracic cavity.

• The area between the lungs is the mediastium.

• Each lung is conical shaped having narrow apex and broad

base.

• It is covered by a double-layered membrane known as pleura.

• The inner and outer layers are called visceral and parietal
pleuron respectively
• The space between two pleura is filled with
Pleural fluid.
• Pleural fluid allows frictionless movement of
lungs
• Protects the lungs from mechanical injuries
• Keeps pleura together.
• Lungs is divided into right lung (right superior,
right inferior, middle lobe separated by
transverse and oblique fissures).
• Left lung (left superior and left inferior
separated by oblique fissure.)
 Mechanism of breathing
• Breathing is a physical process of taking or
inhaling the fresh air in and expelling CO2 out.

• The process includes two phase:

Inspiration (inhalation)
Expiration (exhalation)

• It includes two set of muscles. They are External

intercostal muscles and Internal intercostal
muscles.
 Inspiration (inhalation)
• It takes place when the volume of the
thoracic cavity is increased and the air
pressure is decreased.

• Enlargement of the thoracic cavity

involves the following movement
simultaneously.
• The external intercostal muscles contract.

• The ribs and diaphragm is pulled upward and outward.

• As a result, the size of the thoracic cavity, the lungs

expand simultaneously.

• As the lungs expand, the air pressure in them reduced.

• In order to equalize the outer and inner air pressure, the

atmospheric air rush into lungs through the air passage.
 Expiration (exhalation)
• It takes place when the size of the thoracic cavity is reduced
and the air pressure is increased.

• The internal intercostal muscles contract.

• Ribs are pulled back to their normal original dome shape

position.

• As a result, size of thoracic cavity is reduced and lungs

become compressed due to which air pressure in it increase.

• Due to rise in the air pressure in lungs, air is forced out in the
atmosphere through respiratory tract.
NOTE:
• Total lung capacity: 6000 ml of air
• Breathing is involuntary action.
• Normal adult breaths 12-18 times per min
• New born breaths 40-60 times per min.