Respiratory System Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key concepts from the respiratory system lecture, focusing on anatomy, physiology, and common disorders.

What are the main organs of the respiratory system?

Nose, Pharynx, Larynx, Trachea, Bronchi, Lungs (alveoli)

What are the two main divisions of the respiratory tract?

Upper respiratory tract and Lower respiratory tract.

What is the primary function of the respiratory system?

To facilitate gas exchanges (O2 and CO2) between the blood and external environment.

Where does gas exchange occur in the lungs?

In the alveoli.

What is the function of the nasal conchae?

To increase surface area and air turbulence within the nasal cavity.

What is the role of paranasal sinuses?

To lighten the skull, act as resonance chambers for speech, and produce mucus.

How is the larynx important for speech?

It routes air and food into proper channels and is involved in sound production.

What structure protects the superior opening of the larynx?

The epiglottis.

What is the trachea also known as?

The windpipe.

What structure connects the trachea to the lungs?

Main (Primary) bronchi.

What is the significance of the alveoli in the respiratory system?

They are the site of most gas exchange.

What causes oxygen transport in the blood?

Most oxygen travels attached to iron in hemoglobin, forming oxyhemoglobin.

What happens during pulmonary gas exchange?

Oxygen enters the blood from the alveoli, and carbon dioxide enters the alveoli from the blood.

What is hypoxia and what condition is associated with it?

Low oxygen levels, often associated with chronic bronchitis.

What is COPD and what are its common causes?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, commonly caused by smoking and air pollution.

What is eupnea?

Normal respiratory rate during quiet breathing.”},{

What are the main functions of the respiratory system?

To facilitate gas exchange (O2 and CO2), regulate blood pH, and provide vocalization.

What is the structure and function of the nose and nasal cavity?

The nose has external structures and an internal nasal cavity lined with mucosa. It warms, moistens, and filters air; enables sense of smell; and resonates vocal sounds.

What are the four paired paranasal sinuses and their functions?

Frontal, maxillary, ethmoidal, and sphenoidal sinuses lighten the skull, produce mucus, and enhance resonance of speech.

What are the three regions of the pharynx?

Nasopharynx (air passage), oropharynx (air and food passage), and laryngopharynx (air and food passage).

What is the structure and function of the larynx?

A tube made of cartilage and muscle that houses the vocal cords, routes air and food, and protects the airway during swallowing.

What is the structure and function of the trachea?

A flexible tube with C-shaped cartilage rings that connects larynx to bronchi; it conducts air to the bronchi and has ciliated mucosa to trap debris.

What are the structural subdivisions of the bronchial tree?

Main (primary) bronchi, secondary (lobar) bronchi, tertiary (segmental) bronchi, and bronchioles; they conduct air deeper into the lungs and decrease in size and cartilage.

What constitutes the respiratory zone?

Alveoli and respiratory bronchioles; the site where gas exchange occurs.

What types of cells are found in the alveoli, and what are their functions?

Type I cells (squamous epithelial cells for gas exchange), Type II cells (surfactant-producing to reduce surface tension), and macrophages (for debris clearing).

What is the structure and function of the respiratory membrane?

Consists of alveolar epithelium and capillary endothelium facilitating gas exchange between air and blood.

What is the general structure of the lungs?

Two lungs composed of lobes, elastic tissue, bronchi, blood vessels, and pleura; right lung has three lobes, left lung has two lobes.

How do the right and left lungs compare?

Right lung is larger, has three lobes; left lung is smaller, has two lobes due to heart's positioning.

What are the pleural membranes and the function of serous fluid?

The pleural membranes (visceral and parietal) protect and lubricate the lungs; serous fluid reduces friction during breathing.

What is the concept of ventilation and pulmonary ventilation?

Ventilation refers to the movement of air in and out of the lungs; pulmonary ventilation is the specific process of inhalation and exhalation.

How does Boyle’s law relate to pressure and volume in the lungs?

Boyle’s law states that at constant temperature, the pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume.

What is the difference between quiet and forced breathing?

Quiet breathing (eupnea) is the natural, relaxed breathing; forced breathing (hyperpnea) involves deeper and more rapid inhalations and exhalations.

How does hemoglobin function as a transport molecule?

Hemoglobin binds to oxygen in the lungs (forming oxyhemoglobin) and releases it in tissues; it also transports CO2 back to the lungs.

What occurs during pulmonary gas exchange?

Oxygen is taken up from alveoli into blood, while carbon dioxide is released from blood into the alveoli.

What occurs during tissue gas exchange?

Oxygen is delivered from the blood to tissues while carbon dioxide is taken from tissues into the blood.

How is carbon dioxide transported in the blood?

Most CO2 is transported as bicarbonate ions, some bound to hemoglobin, and a small portion dissolved in plasma.

Why is hemoglobin essential to oxygen transport?

Hemoglobin increases the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity, allowing efficient oxygen delivery to tissues.