Ch 22
Termini in questo insieme (24)
Respiratory system
Designed for gas exchange between an organism and its environment
Circulatory/Cardiovascular system
Transports gases in the blood
Respiratory surfaces
Cell surfaces where O2 diffuses in, and CO2 diffuses out
Respiratory surfaces are: (3)
Moist, as gases must dissolve in water to diffuse
Thin, to facilitate diffusion
High surface area, for efficient gas exchange
Why some organisms can use their entire skin’s surface as a respiratory surface
Their capillaries are in direct contact with the skin
Specialized body parts used for gas exchange
Gills (fish)
Tracheal systems (insects)
Lungs (humans, mammals)
3 phases of gas exchange in humans:
Breathing (inhalation)
Transport (O2 and CO2)
Exchange (of gasses within body cells)
Air inhaled through the mouth
Passes through the oral cavity
Air inhaled through nose
Passes through nasal cavity
Nasal cavity
Air is filtered by hair and mucus
Air is warmed and humidified
Air is sampled for odours
Direction of inhalation:
Nasal cavity
Pharynx
Larynx
Trachea
Paired bronchi
Bronchioles
Alveoli
Alveoli
Grape-like clusters of air sacs at the ends of small bronchioles
Have a high SA of capillaries for efficient gas exchange
Diffuse O2 into blood and CO2 out of blood
Emphysema
A breakdown of alveolar walls caused by smoke inhalation, reducing the area of the respiratory surface and limiting necessary elasticity
Surfactants
Specialized secretions that keep the walls of the alveoli from sticking closed
Inhalation
Air enters the lungs through branching tubes as the chest cavity increases in volume
Rib/diaphragm muscles contract -> volume of chest cavity increases -> air moves in to fill the space
Exhalation
Muscles relax -> volume decreases -> air is pushed out
Control of breathing
Brain sends nerve signals to contract muscles
Breathing control centre responds to pH of blood and cerebrospinal fluid
Nerve signals -> CO2 and O2 levels
Cardiovascular system
Responsible for gas transport in humans
Right side of the heart
Pumps oxygen to lungs
Left side of heart
Pumps blood into the body
Diffusion
How gasses move
Gasses in alveoli
Have more O2 and less CO2 than gasses in blood
Gives O2 to blood, takes CO2 from blood
Gasses in tissues
Have more CO2 and less O2 than gases in the blood
O2 from blood -> tissues
CO2 from tissues -> blood
Hemoglobin
A protein found in very high levels in RBC
Consists of 4 polypeptide chains and iron containing heme groups that cause O2 to bind
Used because oxygen is not soluble in water, and therefore not in blood either