Respiratory system

 The respiratory system is involved in the exchange of gases between the

respiratory surface (lungs, gills, skin, etc.) and the environment.
 The surface for gas exchange of respiratory organs must be moist, thin, and
large in relation to body size. Gas exchange takes place in these surfaces by
diffusion.
 Different animals have different types of respiratory surfaces
1. Protozoans and hydra use every cell surface.
2. Flatworms such as Planaria, exchange gas with the environment through their
flattened bodies
3. fishes use their gills with numerous capillaries to extract oxygen gas from the water
that flows onto the gills in a direction opposite the blood flow, This is counter current
blood that takes up — 80%-90% of the dissolved Oxygen from Water,
4. Terrestrial animals:
a. Insects and terrestrial gastropods take in air through the tracheal system. This
system uses spiracles which are openings at the side of the body.
b. Amphibians, such as frog have lungs which are thin, moist areas that exchange
gases with the capillaries that surround them Frogs use positive pressure breathing
mechanism that forces air into the pleuroperitoneal cavity as the floor of the mouth
is elevated (the mouth is closed).
C. Birds have lungs and a system of air sacs. These air sacs make it possible for avian
lungs to be completely ventilated, unlike in amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.
d. Humans breathe in air through the nostrils, nasal pharynx, trachea, bronchioles,
bronchi, and lungs with the alveolar sacs consisting of squamous endothelium. The
mechanism for breathing uses negative pressure. Intercostal muscles and the
diaphragm contract to decrease the internal pressure of the thoracic cavity by
enlarging its volume, Air descends from the trachea without resistance, but as
exhalation occurs, the events are reversed. The pressure increases as the
respiratory muscles relax causing the carbon dioxide (C09-laden air to be expelled
through the external nares.

 The respiratory system is the network of organs and tissues that help you
breathe. It includes your airways, lungs and blood vessels.

 The muscles that power your lungs are also part of the respiratory system.

 These parts work together to move oxygen throughout the body and clean out
waste gases like carbon dioxide.

 The respiratory system, which includes air passages, pulmonary vessels, the
lungs, and breathing muscles, aids the body in the exchange of gases between
the air and blood, and between the blood and the body’s billions of cells. Most of
the organs of the respiratory system help to distribute air, but only the tiny, grape-
like alveoli and the alveolar ducts are responsible for actual gas exchange.
  In addition to air distribution and gas exchange, the respiratory system filters,
warms, and humidifies the air you breathe. Organs in the respiratory system also
play a role in speech and the sense of smell.

 The respiratory system also helps the body maintain homeostasis, or balance
among the many elements of the body’s internal environment.

Functions of the Respiratory System

 The respiratory system has many functions. Besides helping you inhale (breathe
in) and exhale (breathe out), it:

 Allows you to talk and to smell.

 Warms air to match your body temperature and moisturizes it to the humidity
level your body needs.
 Delivers oxygen to the cells in your body.
 Removes waste gases, including carbon dioxide, from the body when you
exhale.
 Protects your airways from harmful substances and irritants.

Two Main Components of Respiratory System

Upper respiratory tract: Composed of the nose, the pharynx, and the larynx, the
organs of the upper respiratory tract are located outside the chest cavity.
 Nasal cavity: Inside the nose, the sticky mucous membrane lining the nasal
cavity traps dust particles, and tiny hairs called cilia help move them to the nose
to be sneezed or blown out.
 Sinuses: These air-filled spaces along side the nose help make the skull lighter.
 Pharynx: Both food and air pass through the pharynx before reaching their
appropriate destinations. The pharynx also plays a role in speech.
 Larynx: The larynx is essential to human speech.
 Image of the upper respiratory system: visiblebody.com
Lower respiratory tract: Composed of the trachea, the lungs, and all segments of the
bronchial tree (including the alveoli), the organs of the lower respiratory tract are located
inside the chest cavity.
 Trachea: Located just below the larynx, the trachea is the main airway to the
lungs.
 Lungs: Together the lungs form one of the body’s largest organs. They’re
responsible for providing oxygen to capillaries and exhaling carbon dioxide.
 Bronchi: The bronchi branch from the trachea into each lung and create the
network of intricate passages that supply the lungs with air.
 Diaphragm: The diaphragm is the main respiratory muscle that contracts and
relaxes to allow air into the lungs.
The respiratory system has many different parts that work together to help you breathe.
Each group of parts has many separate components.

The Pathway of Air Through The Respiratory System

 Air travels from the external environment all the way through to your alveoli, where
blood meets up with it through the capillaries. Blood exchange occurs here. The
process of which a person takes one breath is called the respiratory cycle.

The Nose:
 First, air enters your body either through your nose or your mouth, where it is
then held in your nasal cavity/oral cavity.
 Once inside the nasal cavity, the air passes through the nasal conchae.
 As it travels, the air makes rapid swirls of movement in order to cause small
particles in the air to stick to mucus. It is also humidified, filtered, and warmed.

Pharynx:
 The pharynx is a pathway in which both air and food travel, henceforth it is an
important passage for the digestive and respiratory tracts.
 The pharynx is divided into three different parts-- the nasopharynx, the
oropharynx, and the laryngopharynx.
 The nasopharynx is located at the back of the nasal cavity, and it is the
uppermost part of the pharynx. In between the nasopharynx and the
laryngopharynx is the oropharynx, which extends between the soft palate and the
base of the tongue. The laryngopharynx is the extension of tissue between the
hyoid and the entrance to the esophagus. It is the lowermost part of the pharynx
and is the main entrance to the digestive tract.

Larynx:
 After the air has passed through the pharynx, it then proceeds through to the
larynx where it comes into contact with the glottis, a narrow opening that leads
into the trachea.
 The larynx is also known as your voice box, from which sound is produced. Many
structures within your larynx include the epiglottis (above the glottis), vocal cords,

Trachea:
 Air travels through the trachea before it reaches the lungs.
 The trachea can also be referred to as the windpipe.
 It attaches to the cartilage located in your throat, from where it then travels
downward before it breaks off into two primary bronchi.

Bronchi:
  There are two primary bronchi that branch off from the trachea.
 These structures are referred to as the right and left primary bronchi.
 Their layout is very similar to that of the trachea, with C-shaped rings encircling
them to give them their structure, as well as cartilage to make it more easily
moveable. The primary bronchi branch off into what is known as the bronchial
tree, where air passes through the secondary bronchi which enters the lobes
within the lungs. These bronchi are even more flexible than the primary. After air
passes through the secondary bronchi, it then reaches the tertiary bronchi, which
are even smaller pathways.
Bronchioles:
 Bronchioles are the finest conducting pathways within the respiratory system.
 These bronchioles are the last passageway for air before it reaches the alveoli,
where it then is combined with blood that is first pumped back to the heart, and
then circulated throughout the rest of the body.
Alveoli:
 The alveoli are the areas within the lungs where the oxygen is transferred into
the blood in exchange for carbon dioxide.
 In other words, this is where the gas exchange takes place.
 The air travels through the alveolar ducts into the alveolar sac where it is met
with capillary networks.
 Air is diffused into the blood through a complicated series of chemical reactions.
 This is how fresh air replaces the air that has already been used.
 People with pneumoconiosis have trouble breathing due to coal dust building up
in the alveoli, which clogs the alveolar sacs. This makes it harder to breath
because blood cannot get a sufficient concentration of oxygen to receive
nutrients.