23.

1 Respiratory System Anatomy

Know the difference between the upper and lower respiratory system
Know the difference between the conducting zone and respiratory zone
Upper respiratory system
nose
Know the difference between the external nose and the nasal cavity
Know the function of the nasal concha and nasal meatuses
Pharynx
know how the pharynx is divided into nasopharynx, oropharynx and laryngopharynx
know the difference between the soft and hard palate
know the location of the palatine, lingual and pharyngeal tonsils
know the location and function of the eustachian tubes
Larynx
know the 9 cartilages that make up the larynx
Know the function of the epiglottis
Know this (just because it bugs me and its a common misconception) - the adams apple is the
thyroid cartilage and not the hyoid bone
Know the functional/locational differences in the vocal folds and ventricular folds
which are the true vocal cords, which are the false vocal cords?
How is the pitch of the voice changed?
Trachea
know the function of the tracheal rings of hyaline cartilage
know the function of the trachealis muscle
know that the trachea is ANTERIOR to the esophagus (I know people well versed in biology
who have confused this and I think it's kind of important to know)
carina - know what this is and what role it plays in the cough reflex
Bronchi
know the structural differences in the
primary bronchi
secondary bronchi
tertiary bronchi
how many primary bronchi are there?
how many secondary bronchi in the right lung?
how many secondary bronchi in the left lung?
why is there a difference?
Familiarize yourself with the bronchial tree
What is a bronciole?
Lungs
What is the pleural membrane?
where would you find the
parietal pleura
visceral pleura
Where are/what are the following structure in the lung?
apex

base
hilum/hilus
Know the fissures in each lung
know the lobes in each lung
know which lung has the cardiac notch
Familiarize yourself with the differences between the following structures
terminal bronchiole
respiratory bronchiole
alveolar duct
alveolar sac
alveolus
What is the difference (structurally and functionally) between the Type I alveolar cells and the
type II alveolar cells)?
Know the structure of a respiratory membrane
alveolar wall
epithelial basement membrane
capillary basement membrane
capillary endothelium
how does the structure aid in its function?
Know that in the pulmonary circulation, hypoxia causes vasoconstriction resulting in decreased
blood flow (opposite that of the systemic circulation)
Table 23.1 is helpful
23.2 Pulmonary ventilation
know the 3 processes that make up respiration (and the definition of each)
pulmonary ventilation
external respiration
internal respiration
Inhalation
Boyles law
Boyles law basically states that pressure and volume vary inversely of each other. You increase
the volume, you decrease pressure. You decrease volume, you increase pressure.
Boyles law has since been combine with several other gas laws (avogadro's law, charles law,
Gay-lussacs law) into the ideal gas law: PV = nRT, where P = pressure, V = volume, n =
number of moles of gas molecules (the definition of a mole is unimportant, just think of it a
number that represents how many molecules there are, but is a much smaller number than the
actual number of molecules there are). R is a constant, and T is the (absolute) temperature.
How does PV = nRT help us? well, keep in mind your body temperature doesnt change and R
is a constant. So, PV/n is constant. When you inhale you decrease the volume of the thoracic
cavity, this decreases pressure so that PV/n can keep the same value. Molecules flow from the
outside into the lungs due to the pressure difference. As n increases, the volume of the lungs
increases to keep PV/n constant.
when you exhale the reverse happens, sort of. The elastic recoil of the lungs increases the
pressure in the lungs. This causes molecules to flow out, decreasing the volume of the lungs
Know which muscles are involved in

quiet inhalation
labored inhalation
quiet exhalation - this is sort of a trick question since the answer is no muscles, instead know
what forces work in quiet exhalation
labored exhalation
Know how alveolar surface tension and lung compliance affect pulmonary ventilation
23.3 Lung volumes and capacities
Know what the following volumes represent and how they are related
tidal volume
minute ventilation = respiratory rate x tidal volume
inspiratory capacity
vital capacity
total lung capacity
inspiratory reserve volume
expiratory reserve volume
residual volume
functional residual capacity
vital capacity
this is summarized in figure 23.16
some useful relationships are
total lung capacity = vital capacity + residual volume
functional residual capacity + inspiratory capacity = total lung capacity
tidal volume +inspiratory reserve volume = inspiratory capacity
inspiratory reserve volume tidal volume + expiratory reserve volume = vital capacity
22.4 Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide
Daltons law - The total pressure of a mixture of the gas is the sum of the pressure exerted by
each gas, i.e. Each gas exerts pressure independent of the other gases in a mixture. We call
the pressure by each gas the partial pressure
The Partial pressure of each gas is the product of the % of molecules that are that gas and the
total pressure
760mmHg (millimeters mercury) is standard atmospheric pressure
the three most important (as it relates to this class) gases in air are
O2 comprises 20.9% of the air
hence the PO2 (partial pressure of oxygen) is 0.209 * 760mmHg = 158.8 mmHg
N2 is 78.6 % of air
CO2 is 0.04% of air
Henrys Law states that quantity of gas that will disolve in a liquid is proportional to the partial
pressure of that gas and the solubility of that gas in the liquid
solubility
CO2 is much more soluble in water than oxygen or nitrogen
O2 is more soluble than nitrogen
consequences
there is more CO2 (than O2) dissolved in blood, due to its high solubility despite its low partial
pressure

due to Oxygens low solubility, it needs a carrier molecule

There is very little N2 dissolved in the blood despite its high partial pressure, due to its low
solubility
High Partial pressure during scuba diving can lead to decompression sickness
Look at figure 23.17
Notice:
external respiration (pulmonary gas exchange)
Due to high Partial pressure of O2 in the alveolar air relative to deoxygenated blood leads to
oxygen going into the blood in the pulmonary capillaries
Due to low partial pressure of CO2 in the alveolar air relative to deoxygenated blood, CO2 leaves
the blood in the pulmonary capillaries
internal respiration (systemic gas exchange)
Due to higher partial pressure of O2 in oxygenated blood relative to interstitial fluid leads to O2
leaving the blood in the systemic capillaries
Due to low partial pressure of CO2 in oxygenated blood relative to interstitial fluid causes CO2
entering the blood in the systemic capillaries
Know the factors that affect the rate of diffusion (are they proportional or inversely proportional)
partial pressure difference
surface area
diffusion distance
molecular weight
solubility
Oxygen transport
Know what oxyhemoglobin is
Know the approximate % oxygen dissolved in blood vs % bound to hemoglobin
Know what is meant by percent saturation of hemoglobin
Know how the following factors affect the saturation curve of hemoglobin and their physiological
importance
pH
PCO2
Temperature
How is the saturation curve of fetal hemoglobin different from adult hemoglobin?
Carbon Dioxide transport
Know the 3 ways in which CO2 is transported in the blood and the approximate % of each form
carbaminohemoglobin
dissolved CO2
bicarbonate ion
Know the role of carbonic anhydrase and why we wouldnt exist without it
Know what is meant by chloride shift
Control of respiration:
Know which areas of the brain are responsible for regulating breathing