respiratory system

• Respiratory system


  A complex network of organs responsible for the exchange of gases between the body and the environment
• Respiration


  The physiological process through which living organisms exchange gases with their environment
• Respiration


  1. Intake of oxygen, vital for cellular metabolism

  2. Release of carbon dioxide, a waste product of cellular respiration
• Aspects of respiration


  • Ventilation: movement of air into and out of the lungs
  • Internal respiration: movement of gases between the blood and the body's cells
  • External respiration: movement of gases between atmospheric air in the lungs and the blood
• Breathing


  The physical process of inhaling and exhaling air
• Muscles of breathing


  • Intercostal muscles: located between the ribs, help expand and contract the chest cavity
  • Diaphragm: a dome-shaped muscle that contracts to increase the volume of the thoracic cavity
• Breathing cycle


  1. Pause: brief period between inhalation and exhalation

  2. Inhalation: air is drawn into the lungs

  3. Exhalation: air is expelled from the lungs
• Transport of gases in the bloodstream

  • Oxygen is carried from the lungs to the tissues by hemoglobin in red blood cells
  • Carbon dioxide is transported from the tissues to the lungs for exhalation, primarily as bicarbonate ions in the blood plasma
• Zones of the respiratory system

  • Nasal cavity
  • Pharynx
  • Larynx
  • Trachea
  • Bronchi
  • Bronchioles
  • Alveoli
  • Capillaries
• Systems involved in the respiratory system

  • Nervous system
  • Muscular system
  • Skeletal system
  • Circulatory system
• Nose and nasal cavity


  Filters incoming air, removes dust and particles; warms and humidifies the air before it reaches the lungs; contains olfactory receptors for sense of smell
• Pharynx


  Connects the nasal cavity and mouth to the trachea; serves as a common pathway for both air and food; contains the epiglottis to prevent food from entering the trachea during swallowing
• Larynx


  Contains the vocal cords and routes air and food into the proper channels
• Trachea


  Windpipe that conducts air towards the bronchi
• Bronchi


  Conduct air from the trachea into the lungs, where gas exchange occurs
• Bronchioles


  Small, thin-walled branches of the bronchial airways that extend from the bronchi and lead to the alveoli; play a crucial role in regulating airflow and resistance in the lungs through contraction and relaxation
• Alveoli and capillaries


  Play a crucial role in the respiratory system by facilitating the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air and the bloodstream; oxygenate blood and remove carbon dioxide, supporting cellular function and maintaining the body's pH balance
• Respiratory disorders


  • Asthma
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
  • Bronchitis
  • Emphysema
  • Tuberculosis
• Asthma


  A chronic lung disease affecting people of all ages, caused by inflammation and muscle tightening around the airways, which makes it harder to breathe
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

  A term that describes multiple respiratory diseases that cause breathlessness or affect normal exhalation; a serious disease where the symptoms include coughing up sputum (mucus from the lungs) and shortness of breath; can be tricky to diagnose because it can develop without any visible symptoms for a long time or the symptoms can be mistaken for the normal process of ageing; cigarette smoking is one of the major causes
• Bronchitis


  Chronic bronchitis is a form of COPD characterized by chronic coughing, where patients usually cough up sputum in the morning; acute bronchitis, on the other hand, is not a long-term disease but is due to a viral or bacterial infection, and is treatable with antibiotics
• Emphysema


  Another form of COPD and a serious respiratory problem; cigarette smoking is a major cause which damages the alveolar walls, thereby decreasing the respiratory surface; it develops slowly over the years; patients have trouble exhaling air from their lungs, and in extreme cases, there is respiratory failure and the need for extra oxygen to help with breathing
• Tuberculosis


  An infectious disease usually caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis; it usually affects the lungs, but can also affect other body parts; it spreads through the air when people with active TB sneeze, cough, speak or spit; most TB infections are symptomless and are called latent tuberculosis, but 10% of these infections progress to active disease, which if not treated, can be fatal; typical symptoms include chronic cough with blood in the sputum, weight loss, fever and night sweats