Anatomy and Physiology

of Respiratory System

DIPLOMA LECTURE SERIES

Outline
Introduction to Respiratory system
Upper Respiratory tract
Surface anatomy of the thorax
Histology of Respiratory system
Functions of Respiratory system
Mechanic of Ventilation
Physiology of Gas exchange/control of breathing
Lung capacity
Regulation of Blood pH

Respiratory System (RS)

RS is situated in the thorax or chest
RS is responsible for gaseous exchange between the

circulatory system and the outside world

RS is divided into upper airways and lower airways
Upper airways consist of nostrils, nasal cavity,
pharynx and larynx
Lower airways consist of trachea, primary bronchi,
bronchial tree, bronchioles and alveoli

Upper Respiratory Tract (upper

Airways)
Its primary function is to receive the air from the

external environment and filter, warm and humidify it

before it reaches the delicate lungs
Air enters the nostrils of the nose and is partially filter
by the nose hairs, then flow into the nasal cavity
Nasal cavity is lined up with epithelial tissue
containing blood vessels which help to warm the air ,
secretes mucous which further filter the air

Upper Respiratory Tract (Upper

Airways)
The endothelial lining of the nasal cavity also

contain tiny hair-like projection called cilia

Cilia serve to transport dusts and other
foreign particles trap in the mucous back to
the pharynx. The mucus is either cough out or
swallowed into the stomach

Upper Respiratory Tract (upper

Airways)
Larynx is the muscular cartilaginous duct of the upper

part of the trachea. It contains the epiglottis and vocal

cords
Epiglottis is flap of cartilage located at the opening to
the larynx and it prevent swallowed material from
entering the lungs
Vocal cords consist two folds of connective tissue
that aids in speech. It stretches and vibrate when air
passes through them causing vocalization

Lower Respiratory Tract (Lower

Airways)
Trachea branches into two direction the right and left

primary bronchi. The point of the division is called the

carina
Primary Bronchus-----secondary( lobar) bronchi---Tertiary (segmental) bronchi----bronchiolesalveolar
duct-----alveolar sacs
The lungs into lobes. The left lung is composed of the
upper lobe, lower lobe and the lingula. The right
composed of upper lobe, middle lobe and lower lobe

Lower Respiratory Tract (Lower

Airways)
Each lung is enclosed in a serous pleural sac

that consist of visceral pleural and parietal

pleural. There is potential space between the
layers of pleural known as pleural cavity
The lungs are attached to the heart and
trachea through structures that are the roots
of the lungs
Roots of the lungs are the bronchi, pulmonary
vessels, bronchial vessels, lymphatic vessels
and nerves. These structures enter and leave
at the hilus of the lung

Respiratory System
Respiratory Tracts

Respiratory System

Surface Anatomy of the thorax (Chest)

Thorax is the superior part of the trunk

between the neck and abdomen

Thoracic cage includes the sternum, 12 ribs
and costal cartilages, and intervertebral discs.
In emaciated subjects, Ribs standout as
prominent ridges with sunken intercostals
spaces between them especially in the lower
and lateral region

Surface Anatomy of the thorax (Chest)

Sternum lies in the middle, in front of thorax.

Superficial surface of sternum can be felt throughout

its entire length
Jugular notch is in the upper border of manubrium
sterni
Sternal angle denotes the junction of the manubrium
and the body of the sternum
The lower boundary of the front of the thorax is
formed by xiphoid process, cartilages of the seventh,
eighth and tenth ribs and the ends of the cartilages of
eleventh & twelfth ribs

Surface Anatomy of the thorax (Chest)

Breast in adult nulliparous female extends

vertically from 2nd 6th ribs and transversely

from the side of the sternum to the mid
axillary's line
Breast papilla is situated in the fourth
intercostals space about 9-10cm from the
middle line in the male and nulliparous female

Surface Anatomy of the thorax (Chest)

The second costal cartilage corresponds to the

sternal angle and it is used as a starting point from

which to counts the ribs
The sternal angle is at the level of the fifth thoracic
vertebra
The junction between the body and the xiphoid
process corresponds to between ninth and tenth
thoracic vertebra
Trachea at a point its bifurcation into two bronchi
corresponds to the sternal angle

Surface Anatomy of the thorax (Chest)

Anterior and posterior axillary lines are drawn

vertically from the corresponding axillary folds

Mid axillary line runs downward from the apex
of the axilla
The apex of the lung is situated in the neck
above the medial third of the clavicle about
2.5cm above the clavicle

Histology of Respiratory system

The conducting passage ways of respiratory system (

nasal cavity, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles) are lined

up by ciliated pseudo stratified epithelial tissue and it
includes mucus secreting global cells
Alveoli is lined by a simple squamous
epithelium( type 1 pneumocytes) The epithelium is
thin to facilitate diffusion of oxygen and carbon
dioxide
Alveoli walls are also contain cuboidal cells (Type II
pneumocytes) useful in the secretion of surfactantprevent sticky alveoli walls

Histology of Respiratory system

Histology of Respiratory system

Functions of Respiratory System

Primary function is to supply the blood with

oxygen for delivery to all parts of the body

Ventilation : This is the exchange of air
between the external environment and the
alveoli. There are two phases of ventilationinspiration and expiration
External respiration: exchange of gases
(oxygen and carbon dioxide) between inhaled
air and the blood

Functions of Respiratory System

Internal Respiration: This is the exchange of gases

between the blood and tissue fluids

Cellular Respiration: This is the utilization of oxygen
and production of carbon dioxide in the cells
Regulation of blood acid-base balance(PH)
Defense against microbes
Control of body temperature due to loss of
evaporation during expiration

Mechanics of Ventilation (breathing)

In inspiration, the external intercostals

muscles contract, moving the rib cage up and

out; the diaphragm moves down at the same
time. This creates negative pressure within
the thorax and the lungs and so this allows air
to follow the pressure gradient through upper
and lower airways and expand the alveoli of
the lungs

Mechanics of Ventilation (breathing)

In expiration, the process is passive and does

not require muscles to work. In this process

the diaphragm and intercostals muscles
relax, the lungs which is elastic recoil. The
resultant effect is the creation of positive
pressure in the lungs and air moves out of the
lungs by flowing down its pressure gradient

Physiology Gas exchange

Gas exchange in the lungs take place in alveoli and it

is between the alveolar air and the blood in the

pulmonary capillaries. The process of exchange is
done through diffusion, oxygen diffuses from the air
into the blood and carbon dioxide diffuses out of the
blood into the air
The capillary and alveolar walls are very thin allowing
rapid exchange of gases by passive diffusion along
concentration gradients. There is continuous flow of
blood preventing the saturation of blood with oxygen
and allowing maximal transfer across the membrane

Physiology Gas exchange

Physiology Gas exchange

Control of Breathing
The control of voluntary breathing is by cerebral

cortex
Involuntary breathing controlled is by medulla
oblongata
There are chemoreceptors in the aorta, the carotid
body of carotid arteries and in the medulla oblongata
of the brainstem that are sensitive to pH
The chemoreceptors response to changes in carbon
dioxide, not to oxygen

Lung capacity
The normal volume of air that move in and out of the lungs

during quiet breathing is called Tidal volume (500ml)

One can increase both inhale and exhale air by breathing
deeply
Increase in inspiration results in increase in lung air volume by
2900ml referred to as Inspiratory Reserve volume
In crease in expiration by contracting thoracic and abdominal
muscle results in increase in the volume of air expired in the
lungs. This is called Expiratory Reserve volume and is about
1400ml of air

Lung capacity
Vital capacity is the total of tidal, inspiratory

reserve and expiratory reserve volumes. It

vital capacity because it vital for life
Even one exhale deeply, some air is still in
the lungs and is called residual volume . This
air is not useful for gas exchange

Lung capacity
Lung capacity

Regulation of Blood pH
Normal blood is set at 7.4 slightly alkaline

(7.2-7.6)
The ability to cope with every pH change
depends on the lungs, the kidneys and
buffers
Buffers are molecules that take in or release
ions in order to maintain the hydrogen ions
concentration at a certain level

Regulation of Blood pH
The most important we have in our bodies is a

mixture of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate.

Carbon dioxide forms carbonic acid when it dissolves
in water. The carbonic acid give up hydrogen ions
when needed and form bicarbonate
Bicarbonate soaks up hydrogen ions when there the
concentration is high
Blood pH is determine by the balance between
bicarbonate and carbon dioxide

Regulation of Blood pH
CO2 + H2 O ======H2CO3========= H+

HCO3
If pH is too high , carbonic will donate hydrogen ions
and pH will drop
If pH is too low, bicarbonate will bond with hydrogen
ion and the pH will rise
Too much carbon dioxide or too little bicarbonate will
cause acidosis
Carbon dioxide is increased in hypoventilation as
seen in pneumonia or emphysema

Regulation of Blood pH
CO2 + H2 O ======H2CO3========= H+

HCO3
Too much bicarbonate or too little carbon dioxide will
cause alkalosis. Carbon dioxide can be lowered by
hyperventilation
In respiratory acidosis, the above equation will move
to the right. The bodys H+ and CO2 level will rise
and pH will drop. To counteract this, the body will
breath more and release hydrogen ions

Regulation of Blood pH
CO2 + H2 O ======H2CO3========= H+

+ HCO3
In respiratory alkalosis, the above equation
will move to the left. The bodys H+ and CO2
level will fall and pH will rise. To counteract
this, the body will breath less and release
bicarbonate

THANK YOU!!