Gas Exchange 1

Gas law
Total pressure of a mixture of gases=sum of individual gases pressures (Daltons law), Atmospheric pressure=760 mm Hg , O2=160mm Hg, N2=600mm Hg Gas moves along pressure and conc. gradient Gas dissolution in fluid depends upon gas partial pressure and its solubility in the fluid Volume of the container inversely proportional to partial pressure of the gas (Boyles law)

Diffusion
Random movement of molecules of gas by their own kinetic energy Net diffusion from higher conc. to lower conc. Molecules try to equilibrate in all empty places Rate of diffusion is directly related to partial pressure of a gas

Partial pressure
The pressure exerted by the gas molecules on a surface Partial pressure depends upon the conc. of gas 21% O2 in air, PO2 is 160mm Hg in atmospheric pressure of 760mm Hg N2 in air 79%,P Nitrogen is 600mm Hg or PO2=FgasPatm=0.21760=160mm Hg Fgas= fractional conc. of gas

 PP= conc. of dissolved gas/solubility coefficient When molecules are attracted towards water molecules, far more of them can be dissolved without building excess PP within solution. CO2 is 20 times as soluble as oxygen

Pressure of gases dissolved in water and tissues

Pp in fluid develops same way as in air Pp in fluid determined by conc. of dissolved gas/solubility coefficient S. coefficients of different gases O2=0.024 , CO2=0.57 , CO=0.018 , N2=0.012 , He=0.008 Water solubility of CO2 20 times more than that of O2

Rate of diffusion
Quantification of gas diffusion expressed by D= PAS/dMW P=Partial pressure difference, A=cross-sectional area , S=solubility of gas, d= distance , MW=molecular weight Two structural, A and d and two gas factors P and solubility Fifth factor is temp. which remains constant Diffusion coefficient=S/ MW, relative rates at which different gases at same Pp levels will diffuse.

 Two gases at same Pp, rate of diffusion proportional to diffusion coeff. If diffusion coefficient of O2 taken as 1, the diffusion coefficient of CO2=20.3 , CO=0.81 , N2=0.53 , H=0.95 As both O2and CO2 highly soluble in lipids so can cross cell membrane, for dissolution in fluid water solubility important

Gas Exchange
Resp. unit Resp. bronchioles, alveolar ducts, atria & alveoli Resp. membrane (Alveolar & capillary walls) (0.6m) Extremely thin with high flow of blood Sheet of blood From inward outwards

A layer of surfactant Alveolar epithelium Basement of alveolar epithelium Very thin interstitial space Capillary basement membrane Capillary endothelium Surface Area 70 100 square meters Quantity of blood in pulmonary capillaries 60140ml

Diffusion of Gases Across Resp. Membrane

Follows gas/ficks law Partial partial gradient Surface Area Thickness of Resp. membranes Distance Diffusion coefficient _________ = Solubility of gas/ Mol. weight

Composition of atmospheric and alveolar air

Atmospheric PO2=160mm Hg got diluted by water vapors=47mm Hg , PO2 becomes 150mmHg In alveoli PO2=100mm Hg more diluted as mixes up with residual volume PO2and PCO2 in alveolar air and at pulmonary capillary end same Slight change in systemic arterial PO2 to 95mm Hg because of mixing up of bronchial venous blood The difference b/w alveolar and systemic arterial blood can increase in specific pulmonary system problems

Diffusion Capacity
Defined as volume of gas diffusing through membrane each minute for a pressure difference of 1mmHg Diffusing capacity of O2 = 20-30 ml/mint/mmHg and during exercise 65ml/mint/mmHg CO2 diffusing capacity 20 times more 400 600ml/mint/mmHg and during exercise 1200-1300ml/mint/mmHg

Ventilation Perfusion Ratio

At rest base of lung more perfused with blood than the apex Capillaries with low pressure divert blood to capillaries with high pressure (automatic control) Matching of alveolar ventilation with the blood perfusion called ventilation perfusion ratio Expressed as VA/Q VA = Alveolar Ventilation/mint Q = Vol. of pulmonary blood/mint =4.2L/min / 5.5 L = 0.8 = Normal

If VA zero though Q adequate ratio zero If VA adequate & Q is zero ratio infinity Both case no gas exchange At rest in apex of lungs ventilation but Q so ratio (2.5 times than normal), dead space At rest in base of lung - ventilation but Q so ratio (0.6 times than normal), shunted blood So VA / Q ratio efficiency of gas exchange at lung level

 Locally ratio maintained by regulating the diameters of bronchioles & arterioles Bronchioles by PCO2 & arterioles by PO2 If 0/Q = 0 Alveolar air equilibrates with venous blood & in both PO2 & PCO2 will be 40 & 46mmHg respectively If VA / 0 =~ - Alveolar air equilibrates with humidified inspired air & PO2 & PCO2 will be 150 & 0.3mmHg

Wasted Ventilation
In case physiological dead space No gas exchange wasted ventilation

Shunted Blood
In case VA / Q ratio subnormal (< VA), the blood not fully oxygenated, that not oxygenated blood called shunted blood 2% bronchial blood drained into pulmonary veins also shunted blood Total quantity of shunted blood per minute physiological shunt