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Flashcards in Respiratory lecture #1 Deck (39)
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1
Q

What is the most critical job of the respiratory system?

A

Provide oxygen to the body

2
Q

What is oxygen converted to when you breathe it in?

A

H2O

3
Q

Why is oxygen important for energy?

A

It acts as the final electron receptor and allows ATP synthase to make ATP

4
Q

T/F the respiratory system eliminates CO2.

A

Trooth

5
Q

Why is it important to get CO2 out of the blood?

A

It can influence the pH of the blood, making it more acidic.

6
Q

Why are false vocal cords important for microbial defense?

A

They have very sensitive mechanoreceptors on them. If something touches them, a hair, some dust, then it stimulates a cough

7
Q

What are the three ways that your respiratory tract provides microbial defense?

A

Epithelial secretions- mucus traps bad stuff and helps it get swept back out
Lymphoid tissue in the tract helps you fight off/disable pathogens
Coughing and sneezing reflexes help get stuff out of there

8
Q

How does the respiratory system respond to blood clots?

A

Very well- small clots get trapped in the narrow vessels of the lungs and then they are dissolved.

9
Q

What are the three different regions of the respiratory system?

A

Upper airway
Conducting zone
Respiratory zone

10
Q

What do the three regions of the respiratory system do?

A

Upper airway- delivers air to and from mouth and nose to the trachea
Conducting zone- conduction of air only, no gas exchange here. From trachea to terminal bronchioles
Respiratory zone- this is where gas exchange occurs, the respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, and alveolar sacs

11
Q

T/F branching is important for respiratory function? Why or why not?

A

True because branching creates parallel airways to maintain airflow and minimizes increasing resistance to airflow

12
Q

What happens to the air in the conducting zone?

A

It is warmed and moistened thanks to the blood in airway walls

13
Q

What is the function of the cartilage in the bronchi?

A

Holds the airway open

14
Q

In the conducting zone specifically, how does mucus help protect against pathogens and where does it come from?

A

Mucus is secreted by goblet cells. The mucus can trap airborne particles and pathogens. Cilia on the epithelial cells move mucus upwards to the pharynx where it can be swallowed or you can hock a loogie..

15
Q

Starting at the trachea, what is the path of air to the alveolar sacs?

A
Trachea
Bronchi
Bronchioles
Terminal bronchioles
Respiratory bronchioles
Alveolar ducts
Alveolar sacs
16
Q

What is cystic fibrosis and why is it bad news?

A

Cystic fibrosis impairs the functions of the conducting zone. A genetic mutation reduces the amount of Na+ and Cl- that are secreted into the mucus. Water follows sodium, so the mucus isn’t as wet- it’s thick and dry. It can still trap pathogens, but it can’t move them out of the respiratory system. Also, your airway can be obstructed.

17
Q

T/F- Bronchiolar smooth muscles regulate airflow

A

troo. Like Troo-Moo chocolate milk. It’s about time for some chocolate milk.

18
Q

Why are alveoli well-suited for optimizing gas exchange?

A

They have a high surface area, are highly vascularized, the respiratory surface is very thin, and a low flow rate of blood allows adequate time for gas exchange

19
Q

What happens if you do get a little dust all the way into the alveolar sacs?

A

You have pulmonary macrophages that eat stuff

20
Q

What happens with asthma?

A

Your smooth bronchiolar muscle is overly constricted- the same thing happens with an allergic response

21
Q

There are 3 types of alveolar cells. What are they and what is their job?

A

Type I- epithelial cells that are specifically for gas exchange
Type II- secrete surfactant so they don’t collapse and stick to each other
Macrophages- they eat stuff that shouldn’t be there or old cells

22
Q

Which has the greater solubility, CO2 or O2?

A

CO2

23
Q

Why is it important the the alveolar sacs and the capillaries are so close together?

A

It’s great for diffusion of gases into and out of the tissues. It makes it easier

24
Q

T/F respiratory gases are small, polar molecules that diffuse down a concentration gradient?

A

False- they are small NON-polar molecules that diffuse down a concentration gradient

25
Q

Each lung is surrounded by a pleural sac made up of two layers. What are the two layers?

A

The parietal layer, which is the outer layer, adheres tot he thoracic wall and the top of the diaphragm.
The visceral, or inner, pleura covers the outer space of the lung.
The space between the two layers is called the pleural sac

26
Q

What is the purpose of the intrapleural fluid?

A

It is the fluid in between the two pleural layers. It lubricates the surfaces to allow for pressure changes to occur and it decreases friction.

27
Q

Ventilation is dependent on what?

A

Pressure differences between the air in the lungs and the air in the atmosphere

28
Q

Flow=?

A

Change in pressure over resistance

29
Q

So if pressure is the alveolus is less than atmospheric pressure, what happens?

A

Air flows into the lungs. Our muscles aid in the process and create a negative vacuum

30
Q

What causes the pressure of the alveolus to change?

A

The volume of the lungs changes it. Boyle’s law (P1V1=P2V2). Change one side and it changes the other.

31
Q

What are the three pressures that relate to ventilation?

A

Alveolar pressure
Intrapleural pressure
Transpulmonary pressure

32
Q

During inspiration, the volume of the lungs is increasing, which decreases the pressure in the alveolus and draws air in. Muscularly, how is an increase in volume achieved?

A

The diaphragm contracts, which lowers the floor of pleural cavity
The external intercostal muscles contract and this raises the rib cage.
Both increase volume

33
Q

Muscularly, what happens during expiration?

A

The diaphragm and external intercostals relax

34
Q

T/F between breaths, no air moves. In other words, between breaths, alveolar pressure is equal to atmospheric pressure?

A

Truth!

35
Q

How is transpulmonary pressure calculated?

A

Transpulmonary pressure= alveolar pressure - intrapleural pressure.

36
Q

When intrapleural pressure is less than alveolar pressure, it helps the lungs expand because the walls of the lungs are drawn towards the intrapleural space.

A

Yep, that’s how that works.

37
Q

What happens when the diaphragm and external intercostal muscles contract?
Know what happens when these muscles relax as well.

A

For inspiration:
The thorax expands
Intrapleural pressure becomes more sub atmospheric
Transpulmonary pressure increases
The lungs expand
The alveolar pressure becomes sub atmospheric
Air flows into the alveoli

38
Q

What is a pneumothorax?

A

This occurs when the pleural sac is punctured. Different pressures between the pleural layers no longer exists, so the lung will collapse and the chest wall will expand. You don’t have that pressure difference to the the lungs with the expanding chest cavity

39
Q

Can a pneumothorax occur unilaterally?

A

Yep