Respiration: The Exchange of Gases

Respiration (gas exchange): the interchange between an animal and its environment.

Mechanisms of Gas Exchange

Three phases of gas exchange: 1) Breathing - gas exchange with environment 2) Gas transport - circulatory system - blood vessels 3) Servicing body tissues - gas exchange with tissues - O2 uptake - cellular respiration - CO2 release - waste product

Mechanisms of Gas Exchange

Respiratory surface - the part of the animal where O2 diffuses into the animal and CO2 diffuses out to the environment. - covered by living cells (single layer, moist)

Outer skin - skin breathers - capillaries below skin -small, long, flat organisms -high surface to volume ratio e. g. earthworm and hydra

Mechanisms of Gas Exchange

Most animals require specific adaptations for gas exchange
Gills - feather-like extensions body surface - very high surface area - in contact with environment - must always be moist!! e.g. fish, amphibians, crabs and mollusca

Mechanisms of Gas Exchange

In most terrestrial organisms, the respiratory surfaces are Folded into the body.

Tracheal system - extensive system of internal tubes - exchange gases with the cells - no assistance from the circulatory system. e. g. insects

Mechanisms of Gas Exchange

Most terrestrial organisms have lungs
Lungs - internal sacs lined with moist epithelium - inner surfaces branch extensively - large surface area!! - gases carried between lungs and body cells by the circulation. e.g. amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

Fish Gills
Gills are adapted for gas exchange in aquatic environments Water - low dissolved O2 Ventilation - mechanism to increase contact between respiratory surface (gills or lungs) and the environment. - fish ventilate their gills to maintain the flow of O2 rich water.

Fish Gills
Countercurrent flow in gills enhances O2 transfer
Countercurrent exchange - the transfer of something from a fluid moving in one direction to another fluid moving in the opposite direction. - opposite flows maintain a diffusion gradient. Gills - water (O2-rich) flows one way - blood (O2-poor) flows the other way * can remove 80% of water O2

Tracheal System
Insect tracheae are tubes that branch throughout the body air sacs - contraction of muscles around them control air movement tracheoles - narrowest tubes that extend to the cells; contain fluid

Lungs - terrestrial vertebrates

Lungs
The alveoli are the site of gas exchange with the circulation. Alveoli - tiny sacs lined with a thin layer of epithelial cells; the exchange surface with blood - each lung contains millions - O2 dissolves in the film of moisture lining the epithelial cells and diffuses across to the blood - CO2 moves the opposite way

Lungs - Breathing
Breathing - the alternation of inhalation and exhalation.

Lungs - Breathing
Breathing in birds involves a one-way flow of air rather than an in-and-out flow in humans.

Control of Breathing
Breathing is automatically controlled
Breathing control centers - in brain (pons and medulla) - nerves from medulla signal diaphragm and rib muscles to contract (inhale) - pons smooths out rhythm of breathing. - pH sensing - control of CO2 release - decrease in pH causes an increase in breathing rate. Hyperventilation - deep, rapid breathing.

Gas Transport
Blood transports the respiratory gases Heart has two divisions: 1) left side handles O2-rich blood from the lungs (pumps blood to body) 2) right side handles O2-poor blood from the rest of the body - pumps blood to alveolar capillaries (gas exchange) Partial pressure - the portion of a mixed gas that a particular pure gas accounts for - gradients determine movement

Gas Transport
Hemoglobin - the molecule in red blood cells that carries O2 - four polypeptide chains and a heme group containing iron - can carry up to 4 molecules of O2

Gas Transport
Hemoglobin helps transport CO2 and buffer the blood

Gas Transport
The human fetus exchanges gases with the mothers bloodstream

Fetus
- lungs are full of fluid and non-functional - capillaries from the umbilical cord fan out into the placenta - gas exchange occurs with the maternal blood in the placenta - countercurrent exchange of fetal and maternal blood - fetal hemoglobin has a higher affinity for O2.

SUMMARY
- Mechanisms of gas exchange (skin, gills, tracheal system, lungs) - Breathing in water - countercurrent exchange - Breathing in air - tracheal system (insects) - lungs (humans) - Breathing (control by brain) - Gas transport (circulation, blood, hemoglobin)