The Respiratory System

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Section:
 Section Outline
Section 37-3

37–3 The Respiratory System

A. What Is Respiration?
B. The Human Respiratory System
C. Gas Exchange
D. Breathing
E. How Breathing Is Controlled
F. Diseases of the Respiratory System

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Section:
 What is respiration?
Section 37-2

•Two different meanings in biology

•On the cellular level, it is the release of energy from food
molecules that occurs in mitochondria
•On an organismal level, it is the gas exchange that occurs
between the lungs and the environment
•Sometimes referred to as breathing
•Necessary for cellular respiration to continue

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Section:
 Human Respiratory System
Section 37-2

•Basic Function
•To bring about the exchange of O2 and CO2
between the blood, air and tissues
•Consists of a network of passageways that permit
air to flow into and out of the lungs
•Parts
•Nose (nasal cavity), pharynx, larynx, trachea,
bronchi and lungs (which contain alveoli)

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Section:
 Parts of the Respiratory System
Section 37-2

•Nasal Cavity – lined with cilia and mucous that clean, warm, and moisten the air
•Pharynx – where oral cavity and nasal cavity meet
•Trachea (windpipe) – a tube lined with cilia and mucous, surrounded by rings of
cartilage for support, which branches into 2 tubes
•Bronchi – 2 tubes lined with cilia and mucous, surrounded by rings of cartilage
for support, which enter the lungs and branch into many smaller tubes called
bronchioles
•Bronchioles – lined with a mucous membrane, and at the end of each tube are
the alveoli
•Alveoli – millions of air sacs found at the end of bronchioles; the walls are thin,
moist and surrounded by capillaries
•The functional unit of the respiratory system where gas exchange occurs
•Gas exchange occurs through diffusion

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Section:
 Figure 37-13 The Respiratory System
Section 37-3

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Section:
 Flowchart
Section 37-3

Movement of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

In and Out of the Respiratory System

Oxygen-rich
air from Nasal
Pharynx Trachea Bronchi
environment cavities

Oxygen and
carbon dioxide
Bronchi Bronchioles Alveoli Bronchioles
exchange at
alveoli

Carbon
Nasal dioxide-rich
Trachea Pharynx air to the
cavities
environment

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Section:
 Gas Exchange

alveoli
• Oxygen dissolves in the moisture
on the inner surface of the alveoli
and then diffuses across the
bronchiole
capillary into the blood.
– Once in the blood, oxygen
binds to hemoglobin
» hemoglobin increases the
oxygen-carrying capacity
of blood by 60 times
• Carbon dioxide diffuses in the
opposite direction

capillary

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Section:
 Breathing

•The movement of air into and out of the lungs

– They expand and contract in response to pressure changes in the
chest cavity by the rib cage and diaphragm.
•During inhalation
– Ribs move out and up and the diaphragm moves down
• this enlarges the chest cavity, which reduces the pressure
around the lungs, which expand, so air flows to the lungs
•During exhalation
– The ribs move in and down and the diaphragm moves up
• The chest cavity gets smaller, creating more pressure around
the lungs, so air is forced out of the lungs.

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Section:
 Figure 37-15 The Mechanics of Breathing
Section 37-3

Air
Air
exhaled
inhale
d

Rib cage
Rib cage lowers
rises

Diaphragm
Diaphragm

Inhalation Exhalation

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Section:
 How Breathing is Controlled

• Breathing is not a completely voluntary or involuntary act

• The rate of breathing is controlled by the medulla oblongata
– The brain is sensitive to the amount of CO2 in the blood.
– When the CO2 level is high, nerve impulses from the
breathing center are sent to the rib muscles and diaphragm
» the higher the CO2 level, the stronger the impulses until
you have to take a breath
• The regulation of CO2 in your blood is an example of negative
feedback

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Section:
 Disorders of the Respiratory System

• Bronchitis
– Inflammation of the bronchial linings, where air passages
become narrower and filled with mucous, making breathing
difficult and causing coughing
• Asthma
– Allergic reaction which causes the bronchial tubes to narrow,
resulting in difficulty breathing
• Emphysema
– The walls of the alveoli break down, decreasing the surface
area for gas exchange
– Shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and decreased
lung capacity

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Section:
 Video 1

Human Respiration

Click the image to play the video segment.

 Circulatory
System

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Section:
 Interest Grabber
Section 37-1

1. Choose the longest vein you can see on the inner side of your wrist.
Starting as close to your wrist as possible, press your thumb on the
vein and slide it along the vein up your arm. Did the length of the vein
remain blue?

2. Repeat this process, but in the opposite direction, moving your thumb
along the vein from the far end to the end closest to your wrist. Did the
length of the vein remain blue?

3. In which direction is your blood flowing in this vein? How can you tell?
Can you tell where a valve is located? Explain your answer.

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Section:
 Section Outline
Section 37-1

37–1 The Circulatory System

A. Functions of the Circulatory System
B. The Heart
1. Circulation Through the Body
2. Circulation Through the Heart
C. Blood Vessels
1. Arteries
2. Capillaries
3. Veins
D. Blood Pressure
E. Diseases of the Circulatory System
1. High Blood Pressure
2. Consequences of Atherosclerosis
3. Circulatory System Health

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Section:
 Functions of the Circulatory System
Section 37-1

• The majority of our cells are not in contact with the

environment.
– Due to this, we can not rely on diffusion to transport
materials from cell to cell.
– Most of the substances needed in one part of the
body are produced in another part.
• Larger organisms, including humans, have evolved
circulatory systems to deal with transport of materials
around larger areas.
– Our circulatory system is a closed system.
• Our circulating fluid, blood, is contained within
vessels
• The circulatory system consists of the heart, blood
vessels and blood.

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Section:
 The Heart
Section 37-1

• The heart is composed almost entirely of muscle (cardiac).

– It is a hollow organ, surrounded by a tissue known as
pericardium.
• The upper chambers are called atria
– They receive blood
• The lower chambers are called ventricles
– They pump blood out of the heart
– The atria and ventricles are separated by valves.
• The valves prevent blood from flowing back into the
atria.

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Section:
 Two pathways of circulation
Section 37-1

• Pulmonary circulation
– Blood is pumped from the heart to the lungs
• Systemic circulation
– Blood is pumped from the heart to the rest of the body.

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Section:
 Pulmonary Circulation
Section 37-1

• Oxygen-poor blood enters the right atria from the superior

and inferior vena cavae.
• It flows into the right ventricle and is pumped into the
pulmonary artery to go to the lungs.
• At the lungs, CO2 leaves the blood and oxygen enters.
• The oxygen-rich blood then enters the pulmonary vein and
returns to the heart.
• The blood flows into the left atria and then flows into the left
ventricle.
• It is then pumped into the aorta, which carries oxygen-rich
blood to the body.

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Section:
 Figure 37-2 The Circulatory System
Section 37-1

Capillaries of
head and arms

Superior Aorta Pulmonary

vena cava artery

Pulmonary
Capillaries of vein Capillaries
right lung of left lung

Inferior
vena cava

Capillaries of
abdominal organs
and legs

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Section:
 Section 37-1

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Section:
 Blood Vessels
Section 37-1
• Three types of blood vessels
– Arteries
• Always carry blood away from the heart
– With the exception of the pulmonary artery, they carry oxygen-rich
blood
• They have very thick walls that help them withstand the pressure
produced when the heart contracts and blood is pushed in.
– Capillaries
• The smallest of the blood vessels
– Only one-cell thick, so blood cells can only pass through single file.
– All gas and nutrient exchange occurs here.
– Veins
• Always carry blood to the heart
– With the exception of the pulmonary vein, they carry oxygen-poor
blood.
• Contain valves, which help blood to keep moving towards the heart and
prevent it from pooling.

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Section:
 Figure 37-5 The Three Types of Blood Vessels
Section 37-1

Artery Vein

Endothelium Capillary

Arteriole Venule

Connective
tissue

Connective
Smooth
tissue
muscle
Smooth
muscle Endothelium

Endothelium Valve

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Section:
 Blood Pressure
Section 37-1

• The force of the blood on the walls of the arteries

• Measured with a sphygmomanometer (blood pressure cuff)
• Air is pumped into the cuff until an artery is blocked.
– When the pressure is released, the tech listens to the
pulse and records two numbers
– The first number is the systolic pressure
• The force felt in the arteries when the ventricles
contract
– The second number is the diastolic pressure
• The force of the blood felt in the arteries when the
ventricles relax.

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Section:
 Parts of the Blood
Section 37-1

• Plasma (55% of the blood)

– A straw-colored fluid which is about 90% water and 10%
dissolved gases, salts, nutrients, enzymes, hormones,
waste products and plasma proteins
• Cells (45% of the blood)
– RBC’s
• Most numerous
– Contain hemoglobin, which is the iron-containing
protein that binds oxygen
– WBC’s (leukocytes)
• They are the army of the circulatory system
• May increase dramatically when the body is fighting an
infection
– Platelets
• Help in blood clotting by clumping together at the injury
to prevent blood from flowing out of the cut

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Section:
 Figure 37-7 Blood
Section 37-2

Plasma

Platelets

White blood
cells

Red blood
cells

Whole Blood Sample Sample Placed in Centrifuge Blood Sample That

Has Been Centrifuged

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Section:
 Figure 37-10 Blood Clotting
Section 37-2

Break in Capillary Wall Clumping of Platelets Clot Forms

Blood vessels injured. Platelets clump at the site Thrombin converts

and release thromboplastin. fibrinogen into fibrin, which
Thromboplastin converts causes a clot. The clot
prothrombin into thrombin.. prevents further loss of
blood..

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Section:
 Diseases of the Circulatory System
Section 37-1

• Atherosclerosis
– Fatty deposits called plaques build up on the inner walls
of the arteries
• Hypertension
– High blood pressure
• Increases the risk of heart attack and stroke
– Heart attack
» Part of the heart muscle may die from lack of
oxygen due to a blocked artery
» If enough heart muscle is damaged, then a
heart attack occurs
– Stroke
» Blood clots that form may get stuck in a blood
vessel leading to a brain
» Brain cells may become deprived of oxygen
and brain function may be compromised

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Section:
 Blood Transfusions
Section 37-2
• Blood type is determined by antigens on our blood cells
Type A – have A antigens
Type B – have B antigens
Type AB – have A & B antigens
Type O – have no antigens
When blood types match, transfusions are successful

Blood Type Blood Type of Recipient

of Donor
A B AB O

AB

Unsuccessful transfusion Successful transfusion

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