3 (22) The Respiratory System Flashcards
(82 cards)
Define respiration.
the entire process of exchanging gases between the atmosphere and body cells
What is external respiration?
exchange of gases between the air in the lungs and the blood
What is internal respiration?
exchange of gases between the blood and body cells
What is cellular respiration?
the use of O2 and production of CO2 by cells of the body
What is another term for ventilation?
breathing
Why (chemically speaking) do we need oxygen?
oxygen is needed to burn the fuel [sugars and fatty acids] in our cells to produce energy
What are the parts of the upper respiratory tract?
nose, nasal cavity, sinuses, pharynx
What are the parts of the lower respiratory tract?
larynx, trachea, bronchial tree, lungs
For the nose, identify: bridge, dorsum nasi, apex, external nares, alae.
check it out in a picture
What type of cartilage is found in the nose area?
primarily composed of HYALINE CARTILAGE, which is densely packed with collagen, a structural protein
What bones form the nasal cavity?
the paired nasal, maxilla, palatine and lacrimal bones, as well as the unpaired ethmoid, sphenoid, frontal and vomer bones
What are the structures of the nasal cavity, and how do they help to warm, moisten and filter the air we breathe?
- nasal conchae (superior, middle, inferior)
- nasal meatus (groove inferior to each nasal conchae)
- lamina propia (mucus/serous glands; secretes watery mucus and lysozyme),
What are vibrissae, and what are they good for?
stiff hairs act as filters that become coated with mucus, they catch particles
What is another function of the nasal cavity?
- warm, moisten and purify inspired air
- olfaction
- resonance
What are the three divisions of the pharynx?
nasophraynx, oropharynx, laryngopharynx
What types of epithelium do we find in each of these regions, and how does that relate to the function of each section?
nasopharynx - pseudo-stratified ciliated columnar epithelium (good for respiration)
oropharynx/laryngopharynx - nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium (digestion and respiration)
What are the functions of the larynx?
passage of air in/out of lungs, prevents foreign objects entering trachea, contains vocal cord for speech
What are the nine cartilages which make up the larynx?
all are HYALINE CARTILAGE
- thyroid cartilage w/ laryngeal prominence
- ring-shaped cricoid cartilage (end of larynx)
- epiglottis (ELASTIC CARTILAGE)
- paired arytenoid, cuneiform, corniculate
What is the function of the “false vocal cords”?
plays a major role as a barrier to the entry of food or large foreign objects into the respiratory tract
How do the true vocal cords differ from the false?
- true vocal folds are the more inferior and are where sound is actually produced
- false vocal folds are a pair of thick folds of mucous membrane that protect and sit slightly superior to the more delicate true folds
How does the larynx of a male differ from that of a female?
“Adam’s Apple”
- female: more rounded, shorter from front to back, shorter vocal cords
- male: more “V” shaped, longer from front to back, longer vocal folds
How do we speak?
- true vocal folds produce sound when air is forced across them
- pitch changed by amount of tension
What is Valsalva’s maneuver? What does it do for the body?
“closing of the glottis and contraction of the abdominal muscles”
- increases intrathoracic and intra-abdominal pressure
- aids in defecation
- stabilizes trunk during heavy lifting
- increases vagal activity
- slows return of blood to the heart
Describe the trachea. Where is it in relationship to the esophagus, and how do they fit together?
“windpipe”
- extends from larynx to primary bronchi (T5)
- 20 “C” shaped rings of hyaline cartilage
- open end of C posterior to allow esophagus to expand in
- the ridge (carina) => most sensitive areas for triggering cough reflex