Respiratory_system-Spring_2024

Conducting zone

Interconnected tubes including nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchiole, and terminal bronchioles.

Respiratory zone

The part of the respiratory system where gas exchange occurs, including respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs, and alveoli.

External nares

Openings of the nasal cavity; also known as nostrils.

Olfactory epithelium

Tissue responsible for the sense of smell, located in the nasal cavity.

Cilia

Tiny hair-like structures that move mucous towards the pharynx to trap dust and pathogens.

Paranasal sinuses

Cavities found within skull bones that lighten the skull and resonate the voice.

Hypoxia

Oxygen deficiency at the tissue level that can be caused by various factors such as low PO2 or anemia.

Chemical regulation of breathing

The control of respiration by neurons in the pons and medulla, responding to changes in CO2, O2, and H+ levels.

Dalton’s Law

Each gas in a mixture exerts its own pressure, known as partial pressure.

Henry’s Law

The quantity of a gas that will dissolve in a liquid is proportional to the partial pressure of that gas.

Vital capacity

The maximum amount of air that can be expelled from the lungs after a maximum inhalation.

BPG (Bisphosphoglycerate)

A metabolic intermediate that binds to deoxygenated hemoglobin and promotes oxygen unloading in tissues.

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

A group of lung diseases including emphysema and chronic bronchitis that obstruct airflow and make it difficult to breathe.

Pneumothorax

A condition where air enters the pleural cavity causing lung collapse.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

A genetic condition that can lead to liver disease and lung disease, particularly emphysema.

Surfactant

A substance secreted by Type II alveolar cells that reduces surface tension in the alveoli and prevents collapse.

Spirometer

An instrument used to measure lung volumes and capacities during breathing.