BI 141

Lecture #: 4

Respiratory System
Gas exchange

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Four Critical Processes
Animal Life
1. Obtain energy and material
Ingest, digest, absorb, egest

2. Obtain oxygen
3. Dispose of nitrogenous waste
NH3, urea, uric acid

4. Dispose of CO2
 Terminology!
“Respiration” is used several different ways:
• Cellular respiration is the aerobic breakdown
of glucose in the mitochondria to make ATP.
• “Respiration” is an everyday term that is often
used to mean “breathing.”
• Respiratory systems are the organs in
animals that exchange gases with the
environment.
Respiratory system function

• Respiratory systems allow animals to

move oxygen (needed for cellular
respiration) into body tissues and
remove carbon dioxide (waste product of
cellular respiration) from cells.

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Gas exchange by Diffusion
• Some animals simply
allow gases to diffuse
through their skins.

• These animals have a

low metabolic rate.

• All of these are aquatic

animals, few annelids
and amphibians
 Specialized structures
Structures specialized
for gas exchange
include:

• gills (aquatic
animals)

• tracheae
(terrestrial insects)

• lungs (most
terrestrial
vertebrates)
 Fish Gills
• Fish increase gas
exchange efficiency
using countercurrent
exchange.

• Running blood through

the system in the
opposite direction to
water keeps a diffusion
gradient throughout the
entire exchange.
Pill bugs or Roly polies

Hermit crabs
Gills exchange gases in fish. What is the
site of gas exchange in mammals?

1. Alveoli
2. Trachea
3. Bronchi
4. Esophagus

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 Tracheal System
• Insects do not breathe
through their mouths
as we do. They do not
have lungs and their
blood, which is a
watery, yellowish
liquid, does not carry
oxygen and carbon
dioxide around their
bodies.

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Human respiratory system
Main parts of the
respiratory system
include:

• Trachea

• Bronchi

• Bronchioles

• Alveoli
3 Basic Processes

1. Pulmonary Ventilation

2. External Respiration

3. Internal Respiration
 Respiration Mechanism
• During inspiration
(inhalation), the
diaphragm and
intercostals muscles
contract.

• During exhalation,
intercostals muscles
relax. The
diaphragm domes
upwards.
 Alveoli
• The alveoli are
moist, thin-walled
pockets which are
the site of gas
exchange.

• A slightly oily
surfactant prevents
the alveolar walls
from collapsing and
sticking together.
Circulation and Gas Exchange
• Recall the
interconnection
between circulation
and the respiratory
system.

• Gas exchange at
the lungs and in the
body cells moves
oxygen into cells
and carbon dioxide
out.
 In the alveolus

• The respiratory
surface is made up of
the alveoli and
capillary walls.

• The walls of the

capillaries and the
alveoli may share the
same membrane.
 Oxygen transport

• Hemoglobin binds
to oxygen that
diffuses into the
blood stream.
 Carbon dioxide transport
• Carbon dioxide can
dissolve in plasma,
thus forming
carbonic acid.

• Most carbon dioxide

binds to hemoglobin
thus for transport.
Equation 1
CO2 + H2O H2CO3

Equation 2
Carbonic anhydrase
CO2 + H2O H2CO3

H2CO3 HCO3- + H+
 At the cells

• Cells use up oxygen quickly for cellular

respiration.
• Cells create carbon dioxide during
cellular respiration, so CO2 levels in the
cell are higher than in the blood coming
to them.

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Diffusion of O2 from lungs to blood
is rapid because:

1. Active transport moves oxygen.

2. Hemoglobin takes up oxygen,
keeping plasma concentration low.
3. Blood plasma is oxygen-rich.
 Respiratory Disorders

1. Hiccups - is a sudden,
involuntary contraction of
the diaphragm which occurs
at the same time as a
contraction of the voice box
(larynx) and total closure of
the glottis, effectively
blocking air intake.
2.Tuberculosis – a
communicable disease
caused by a bacterium. Most
TB grows in the lungs (upper
portion) however, it can
affect bone, the urinary tract
brain and other parts of the
body.

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3.Bronchitis – Bronchitis
is an inflammation of the
lining of your bronchial
tubes, which carry air to
and from your lungs.
People who have
bronchitis often cough up
thickened mucus, which
can be discolored.
Bronchitis may be either
acute or chronic.
4. Pneumonia - is
an inflammatory condition
of the lung affecting
primarily the microscopic
air sacs known as alveoli. It
is usually caused by
infection with
viruses or bacteria and less
commonly
other microorganisms, and
certain drugs.
5. Bronchial Asthma - is a
common chronic
inflammatory disease of
the airways characterized by
variable and recurring
symptoms, reversible airflow
obstruction and bronchi
spasm. Common symptoms
include wheezing, coughing,
chest tightness, and short of
breath.
6. Smoker’s Cough - is a
persistent cough that develops in
long-term smokers—"persistent"
meaning that it's present for more
than 2 or 3 weeks. At first it may be
dry (in smokers who haven’t
smoked for very long), but over
time it usually produces phlegm.
This phlegm can be clear, white,
yellow, or even green in color. The
cough is usually worst upon
awakening, and improves over the
remainder of the day.
7. Cystic Fibrosis -
Cystic fibrosis is an
inherited disease
characterized by the
buildup of thick, sticky
mucus that can damage
many of the body's organs.
The disorder's most
common signs and
symptoms include
progressive damage to the
respiratory system and
chronic digestive system
problems.
 8. Chronic obstructive
pulmonary
disease (COPD), is a type
of obstructive lung disease
characterized by chronically poor
airflow. It typically worsens over
time. The main symptoms
include shortness of breath, cough,
and sputum production. Most people
with chronic bronchitis have COPD.

• Tobacco smoking is the most

common cause of COPD, with a
number of other factors such as air
pollution and genetics playing a
smaller role.
 Effects of smoking
• Inhaled smoke Gross, isn’t it?
contains:

• CO2, which affects the

CO2 diffusion gradient.

• carcinogenic chemicals
that can trigger tumors.

• toxic nicotine, which

paralyzes cilia that
normally clean the
lungs.
 Emphysema
• Besides cancer,
smoking can also lead
to emphysema. Alveoli
become dry and brittle,
and eventually rupture.

• Both active and passive

smoking (“second-hand”
smoke) can lead to lung
problems. All types of smoke, not just tobacco,
can cause cancers and emphysema.
“Two lies and a truth” – which one
is true?

1. Cigarette smoke cures colds

because it kills bacteria in the
lungs.
2. Nicotine is one of the most potent
neurotoxins on earth.
3. “Passive” smoking is less harmful
than “regular” smoking.
Phlegm