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01 Respiration

The document outlines the physiology of the respiratory system, detailing its functions such as gas exchange, speech, and acid-base balance. It explains key principles like Dalton's Law and Henry's Law, which govern gas diffusion and solubility in the body. Additionally, it covers the transport mechanisms for oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, including the roles of hemoglobin and bicarbonate ions.

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yashvishah1910
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5 views25 pages

01 Respiration

The document outlines the physiology of the respiratory system, detailing its functions such as gas exchange, speech, and acid-base balance. It explains key principles like Dalton's Law and Henry's Law, which govern gas diffusion and solubility in the body. Additionally, it covers the transport mechanisms for oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, including the roles of hemoglobin and bicarbonate ions.

Uploaded by

yashvishah1910
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Physiology of the

Respiratory System
Respiratory Systems
➢ General Functions of Respiratory System:

1. O2 and CO2 exchange between blood and air


2. Speech and vocalization
3. Sense of smell
4. Helps control acid base balance of body
5. Breathing movements help promote blood and lymph flow
➢ Principal Organs of Respiratory System

• Nose
• Pharynx (throat)
• Larynx (voice box)
• Trachea (wind pipe)
• Primary bronchi
• Lungs
Laws for Gas Exchange in Tissues
Gas Exchange in Tissues
Passive diffusion
Dependent on:
• Pressure gradient
▪ Pressure of oxygen greater in blood
▪ Pressure of carbon dioxide greater in tissue
Dalton’s Law, or law of partial pressures
o The term partial pressure means the pressure exerted by any one gas in a mixture of
gases or in a liquid
o According to this law, the partial pressure of a gas in a mixture of gases is directly related
to the concentration of that gas in the mixture and to the total pressure of the mixture
o The partial pressure of each gas is directly related to its concentration in the total
mixture
Ex. The total amount of oxygen in the air is about 20.9%, and the total pressure of
the atmosphere is 760 mm Hg under standard conditions.
Therefore: Atmospheric Po2 = 20.9% x 760 = 158.8mm Hg
• Partial pressures determine the movement of O2 and CO2 between the atmosphere
and lungs, between the lungs and blood, and between the blood and body cells.
• Each gas diffuses across a permeable membrane from the area where its partial
pressure is greater to the area where its partial pressure is less.
• The greater the difference in partial pressure, the faster the rate of diffusion.
Alveolar air has less O2 (13.6% versus 20.9%)
more CO2 (5.2% versus 0.04%)

Exhaled air contains more O2 (16% versus 13.6%)


less CO2 (4.5% versus 5.2%)
Henry’s law

• Quantity of a gas that will dissolve in a liquid is proportional to the partial pressure of
the gas and its solubility.

• In body fluids, the ability of a gas to stay in solution is greater when its partial pressure
is higher and when it has a high solubility in water.

• The higher the partial pressure of a gas over a liquid and the higher the solubility, the
more gas will stay in solution.

• In comparison to oxygen, much more CO2 is dissolved in blood plasma because the
solubility of CO2 is 24 times greater than that of O2.
Gas Exchange in Tissues
External & Internal Respiration
The rate of pulmonary and systemic gas exchange depends on several factors

▪ Partial pressure difference of the gases


▪ Surface area available for gas exchange
▪ Diffusion distance
▪ Molecular weight and solubility of the gases
Transport of O2 and CO2
Oxygen transport

Two way
• Dissolved in blood plasma (1.5%)
• Hemoglobin (RBCs) (98.5%)
Hemoglobin
⚫ Each hemoglobin molecule binds up to 4 oxygen molecules
➢ Oxyhemoglobin
➢ Determined by PO2
⚫ Measured as percentage
➢ How much of hemoglobin is “saturated”
Oxygen–hemoglobin dissociation curve
Hemoglobin as “tissue oxygen buffer”

➢ Maintain PO2 in the Tissues

➢ When atmospheric oxygen concentration changes markedly, the buffer


effect of hemoglobin still maintains almost constant tissue PO2.
Other factors affecting the affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen
➢ Acidity (pH)

Left Right

Bohr effect
➢ Partial pressure of carbon dioxide
➢ Temperature
➢ 2, 3-bisphosphoglycerate (BPG)
➢ Fetal and Adult Hemoglobin
Carbon Dioxide Transport

⚫ 3 ways:
➢ Dissolved in plasma (7%)

➢ Bound to hemoglobin (23%)

➢ Converted to bicarbonate ion (70%)


❖ Primarily transported dissolved in plasma
⚫ Conversion to bicarbonate ion

➢ Carbonic anhydrase
❖ In RBCs
Chloride shift

⚫ Transport process
➢ HCO3ˉ out of RBC for Clˉ
➢ H+ bound to hemoglobin
⚫ In lungs
➢ Reverse occurs
➢ CO2 out of lungs
❖ H+ leaves hemoglobin

❖ Chloride shift reverses

Haldane effect

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