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Respiratory System: Our Avenue for Gas Exchange
By Kim Ann Zimmermann
First Published 8 months ago
Reference Article: Respiratory system facts, function and diseases.
The respiratory system is what allows us to breathe and exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen. (Image
credit: Shutterstock)
The human respiratory system is a series of organs responsible for taking in
oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. The primary organs of the respiratory
system are the lungs, which carry out this exchange of gases as we breathe.
The lungs work with the circulatory system to pump oxygen-rich blood to all
cells in the body. The blood then collects carbon dioxide and other waste
products and transports them back to the lungs, where they're pumped out
of the body when we exhale, according to the American Lung Association.
The human body needs oxygen to sustain itself. After only about five
minutes without oxygen, brain cells begin dying, according to the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, which can lead to brain
damage and ultimately death. [Gasp! 11 Surprising Facts About the
Respiratory System]
In humans, the average breathing, or respiratory rate, mostly depends on
age. A newborn's normal breathing rate is about 40 to 60 times each minute
and may slow to 30 to 40 times per minute when the baby is sleeping,
according to Stanford Children's Health. The average resting respiratory rate
for adults is 12 to 16 breaths per minute, and up to 40 to 60 breaths per
minute during exercise, according to the European Respiratory Society.
Parts of the respiratory system
As we breathe, oxygen enters the nose or mouth and passes the sinuses,
which are hollow spaces in the skull that help regulate the temperature and
humidity of the air we breathe.
From the sinus, air passes through the trachea, also called the windpipe, and
into the bronchial tubes, which are the two tubes that carry air into each
lung (each one is called a bronchus). The bronchial tubes are lined with tiny
hairs called cilia that move back and forth, carrying mucus up and
out. Mucus is a sticky fluid that collects dust, germs and other matter that
has invaded the lungs and is what we expel when we sneeze and cough.
The bronchial tubes split up again to carry air into the lobes of each lung.
The right lung has three lobes while the left lung has only two, to
accommodate room for the heart, according to the American Lung
Association. The lobes are filled with small, spongy sacs called alveoli, which
is where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs.
From the trachea, air enters the bronchial tubes which split up and reach into the three lobes of the
right lung and the two lobes of the left lung. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
The alveolar walls are extremely thin (about 0.2 micrometers) and are
composed of a single layer of tissues called epithelial cells and tiny blood
vessels called pulmonary capillaries. Blood in the capillaries picks up oxygen
and drops off carbon dioxide. The oxygenated blood then makes its way to
the pulmonary vein. This vein carries oxygen-rich blood to the left side of the
heart, where it is pumped to all parts of the body. The carbon dioxide the
blood left behind moves into the alveoli and gets expelled in our exhaled
breath.
The diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of the lungs, controls
breathing and separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity. When
air gets taken in, the diaphragm tightens and moves downward, making
more space for the lungs to fill with air and expand. During exhalation, the
diaphragm expands and compresses the lungs, forcing air out.
fographic on the respiratory system. Click the image to enlarge. (Image credit: Ross Toro, Livescience
contributor)
Respiratory system diseases
Diseases and conditions of the respiratory system fall into two categories:
Infections, such as influenza, bacterial pneumonia and enterovirus
respiratory virus, and chronic diseases, such as asthma and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). According to Dr. Neal Chaisson, who
practices pulmonary medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, there is not much that
can be done for viral infections but to let them run their course. "Antibiotics
are not effective in treating viruses and the best thing to do is just rest," he
said.
For most healthy individuals, the most common respiratory ailment they may
face is an infection, according to Dr. Matthew Exline, a pulmonologist and
critical care expert at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. A
cough is the first symptom, possibly accompanied by a fever. [The Gross
Science of a Cough and a Sneeze]
"However, cough can be a sign of chronic respiratory conditions such as
asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema," he said. "In chronic lung disease,
most respiratory diseases present with shortness of breath, initially with
exertion, such as walking a significant distance or climbing several flights of
stairs."
Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the lung airways that causes coughing,
wheezing, chest tightness or shortness of breath, according to Tonya
Winders, president of the Allergy & Asthma Network. These signs and
symptoms may be worse when a person is exposed to their triggers, which
can include air pollution, tobacco smoke, factory fumes, cleaning solvents,
infections, pollens, foods, cold air, exercise, chemicals and
medications. According to the CDC, more than 25 million people (or 1 in 13
adults and 1 in 12 children) in the United States have asthma.
Coughing is usually the first sign of a respiratory infection. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
COPD, sometimes called chronic bronchitis or emphysema, is a chronic and
progressive disease where the air flow in and out of the lungs decreases,
making it harder to breathe. Over time, the airways in the lungs become
inflamed and thicken, making it harder to get rid of waste carbon dioxide,
according to the American Lung Association. As the disease progresses,
patients experience a shortness of breath, and it can limit activity. More than
15 million Americans are affected by COPD, according to the CDC.
Lung cancer is often associated with smoking, but the disease can affect
nonsmokers as well. It is the second most common cancer for both men and
women, outranked by prostate and breast cancers, respectively. The
American Cancer Society estimates that in 2019, there will be about 228,150
new cases of lung cancer (116,440 in men and 111,710 in women) and
around 142,670 deaths from lung cancer (76,650 in men and 66,020 in
women) in the United States.
Additional resources:
Read more about the anatomy of the respiratory system from the University
of Rochester Medical Center.
Watch "Meet the Lungs," from the Khan Academy.
Check out this useful diagram of the respiratory system, from The Lung
Association.
This article was updated on Aug. 23, 2019, by Live Science Contributor Sarah
Derouin.
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