Physiology of

Respiratory
System
By
Mila Citrawati

Boyles Law
P =1/V
Plays role in process of inspiration
n expiration

Laplaces Law
P = 2T/r
Pressure inside a spherical structure is directly
proportional to tension in wall and inversely
proportional to radius of sphere
Without surfactan, surface tension in both
alveoli (small and large) is the same. A greater
pressure is required to keep small alveolus
open. Small alveolus tends to empty into
larger one

Poiseuilles Law
Resistance to laminar flow is inversely
proportional to tube radius to the 4th power
and directly proportional to the length of the
tube. When radius is halved, resistance is
increased 16-fold. If driving pressure is
constant, flow will fall to one sixteenth.
Doubling length only doubles resistance. If
driving pressure is constant, flow will fall to
one half

Daltons Law
Partial pressure of a gas is the pressure
contributed by a single gas in a mixture of
gases. Each of the gases contributes to the
total pressure in proportion to its relative
abundance.
Atmospheric pressure (760 mmHg) = PN2
(78,6%) + PO2 (20,9%) + PH2O (0,5%) +
PCO2 (0,04%)

Henrys Law
The amount of a particular gas in solution is
directly proportional to the partial pressure of
that gas

Control of Respiration
Central chemoreceptors respond to changes in
arterial PCO2. Elevated PCO2 of arterial blood
stimulate central brainstem chemoreceptors
via changes in the pH of cerebrospinal and
brain interstitial fluid.
Peripheral chemoreceptors (carotid and aortic
bodies) sense changes in the arterial blood
PCO2, PO2, and ph, and send signals via the
glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves to the
brainstem respiratory centers

Control of Respiration
1. Inadequate ventilation for bodily needs may

depress PO2 and/or elevate PCO2 of blood

(elevated PCO2 tends to lower pH)
2. Lowered PO2 of blood affects
chemoreceptors of carotid and aortic bodies
(which are also responsive to lowered pH)
3. Elevated PCO2 of blood and of cerebrospinal
fluid affects central chemoreceptors

Control of Respiration
4. Impulses from carotid and aortic bodies

reach respiratory center via

glossopharyngeal and vagus nerve.
5. Impulses from central chemoreceptors reach
respiratory center
6. Impulses from repiratory centers descend in
spinal cord to reach diapragm via phrenic
nerves and intercostal muscles via
intercostal nerves to increase rate and
amplitude of respiration.

Control of Respiration
7. Accelerated respiration improves ventilation
and thus tends to normalize PO2, PCO2, and
pH of blood

Obstructive Lung Disease

Emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthma
Connective tissue and elastic fibers are

destroyed
Lung compliance is increased
Decreased elastic recoil
Increase TLC, FRC, and RV
FEV1/FVC less than 75%

Restrictive Pulmonary
Disease
Fibrosis, alveolar wall thickening
Increase in the connective tissue of the lung
Reduced lung compliance
Decrease in TLC and VC
FVC is markedly decrease