Respiratory

System :
Anatomy,
Function, and
Breathing
mechanism

Ayni Tibrewal – 19IPMH01

Tamoghna Nayudu – 19IPMH09
INTRODUCTION

The respiratory system is a complex network of organs and tissues responsible for the
exchange of gases between the body and the environment.
This system ensures that oxygen reaches all parts of our body and removes carbon
dioxide and other harmful substances.
The respiratory system consists of several components, including the nose, nasal cavity,
pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
 Nose

🞆 The external opening of the nose is

the nostrils, also called external
nares.
🞆 It’s divided into two halves by the
nasal septum
🞆 It contains paranasal sinuses
🞆 Also contains cilia
🞆 The conchae passages lead to the
pharynx
Functions of nose

🞆 It provides air for respiration.

🞆 Serves the sense of smell
🞆 Conditions the air by filtering, warming, and moistening it
🞆 Cleans itself of foreign debris extracted from inhalations.
🞆 Resonating chamber for speech
 Pharynx

🞆 Commonly called throat

🞆 Serves both respiratory and digestive functions
🞆 leading from the oral and nasal cavities in the head
to the esophagus and larynx.
🞆 Walls are lined by a mucosa and contain skeletal
muscles
🞆 Three sections of pharynx : nasopharynx,
oropharynx, laryngopharynx
🞆 It contains the epiglottis, a flap-like structure
🞆 Also contains three sets of tonsils. They are located
at the back of the throat and base of the tongue.
🞆 Auditory (eustachian) tubes: These two tubes
connect the ears to the throat
Functions of pharynx

🞆 Serves as a passageway for air

🞆 Serves as a passageway for food
🞆 Aids in phonation by changing its shape
🞆 Pushes food into the esophagus so it’s not breathed in.
🞆 Equalizes pressure in the ears and drains fluid from the ears.
Larynx

🞆 also called voice box, a hollow, tubular structure.

🞆 It is located at the upper end of the trachea
🞆 The larynx is composed of an external skeleton of
cartilage plates.
🞆 The epiglottis, at the upper part of the larynx, is a
flaplike projection into the throat.
🞆 The larynx contains a structure called the glottis
🞆 It also contains vocal cords
Functions of Larynx

🞆 produces vocal sounds

🞆 Conducts air into the lower respiratory tract
🞆 prevents the passage of food and other foreign particles into the lower
respiratory tracts.
🞆 prevent the entry of foreign objects into the trachea.
 Trachea

🞆 Trachea is a long, U-shaped tube that connects the

larynx to lungs.
🞆 The trachea is often called the windpipe
🞆 Trachea sits in your lower neck and upper chest, below
your larynx
🞆 It is reinforced with 16-20 C-shaped cartilage rings
🞆 A moist tissue called mucosa lines each ring of tracheal
cartilage. Mucosa have cells called goblet cells.
🞆 In the trachea’s inner layer, you have small, hair-like
structures called cilia.
 Bronchi

🞆 The bronchi are the two main branches at the bottom of the
trachea.
🞆 Each bronchus projects laterally towards each lung
🞆 The bronchi branch off into progressively smaller
structures that make up the bronchial tree.
🞆 It divides to the right and left, then subdivides further into
bronchioles.
🞆 The bronchial tree ends at the alveoli, small sacs in lungs
🞆 The right bronchus is shorter than the left bronchus
Lungs

🞆 These are two spongy organs located in the thorax.

🞆 They consist of elastic tissue, filled with an interlacing
network of sacs and blood vessels
🞆 Each lung is divided into lobes. The right lung into 3
lobes and left lung into 2 lobes
🞆 Both of your lungs are covered with a protective
covering called pleural tissue.
🞆 The lungs contain about 300 million alveoli sacs
🞆 The base of the lungs rest on the diaphragm, a muscular
wall separating the thorax from the abdominal cavity
Functions

🞆 Through them, water, alcohol, and pharmacologic

agents can be absorbed and excreted.
🞆 The lung is also a true metabolic organ.
🞆 responsible for adding oxygen to and
removing carbon dioxide from the blood
 Respiration

The process of gas exchange in the body is called

respiration.
It has three basic steps:
🞆 Pulmonary ventilation or breathing: It is the inhalation
(inflow) and exhalation (outflow) of air and involves the
exchange of air between the atmosphere and the alveoli
of the lungs.
🞆 External (pulmonary) respiration: It is the exchange of
gases between the alveoli of the lungs and the blood in
pulmonary capillaries across the respiratory membrane.
In this process, pulmonary capillary blood gains O2 and
loses CO2.
🞆 Internal (tissue) respiration: It is the exchange of gases
between blood in systemic capillaries and tissue cells. In
this step the blood loses O2 and gains CO2
Breathing Mechanism

The process of breathing, also known as

ventilation, involves two phases: inspiration
and expiration.
Air moves into the lungs when the air
pressure inside the lungs is less than the air
pressure in the atmosphere. Air moves out
of the lungs when the air pressure inside the
lungs is greater than the air pressure in the
atmosphere.
 Inspiration and Expiration

During inspiration, the diaphragm contracts

and moves downward, while the intercostal
muscles lift the rib cage, expanding the
chest cavity. This reduces the pressure
inside the lungs, causing air from the
atmosphere to rush in and fill the alveoli
with oxygen-rich air.

During expiration, the diaphragm and

intercostal muscles relax, and the chest
cavity decreases in volume. This increases
the pressure inside the lungs, forcing the
excess air, now rich in carbon dioxide, to be
expelled from the respiratory system and
exhaled from the body.
External Respiration

In this step, gas exchange occurs

between the lungs and the
bloodstream. Oxygen from the inhaled
air diffuses from the alveoli (tiny air
sacs in the lungs) into the pulmonary
capillaries, where it binds to
hemoglobin in red blood cells for
transport to body tissues. At the same
time, carbon dioxide diffuses from the
bloodstream into the alveoli to be
expelled during exhalation.
 Internal Respiration

The final step of gas exchange is internal

respiration, which occurs at the tissue
level. Oxygen-rich blood from the
pulmonary circulation is delivered to
body tissues through the systemic
circulation. In the tissues, oxygen diffuses
from the blood into the cells, while
carbon dioxide produced as a byproduct
of cellular metabolism diffuses from the
cells into the bloodstream to be
transported back to the lungs for
exhalation.
 Control of Breathing

The rate and depth of breathing are controlled by the

respiratory center in the brainstem, specifically the
medulla oblongata and pons. These regions receive input
from chemoreceptors, which monitor the levels of
oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. When oxygen
levels drop or carbon dioxide levels rise, signals are sent
to the respiratory muscles, adjusting the breathing rate
and depth to maintain the body's internal balance, or
homeostasis.
The respiratory center is divided into 3 areas depending
upon their functions.
(1) The medullary rhythmicity area
(2) The pneumotaxic area
(3) The apneustic area
Lung volumes and capacities

Lung volumes and capacities are measurements used to assess the amount of air the
lungs can hold and the flow of air during different phases of breathing. These
measurements are essential in evaluating respiratory function and diagnosing respiratory
conditions

These can be measured using various techniques, such as spirometry, which involves
breathing into a device called a spirometer. Changes in these measurements can indicate
different respiratory conditions and provide valuable information for healthcare
professionals in assessing lung health and functio
Tidal Volume (TV): The volume of air inspired or expired during normal breathing at rest.

Inspiratory Reserve Volume (IRV): The maximum volume of air that can be inhaled after a
normal inspiration.

Expiratory Reserve Volume (ERV): The maximum volume of air that can be exhaled after a
normal expiration.

Residual Volume (RV): The volume of air that remains in the lungs after maximal expiration,
which cannot be expelled.

Inspiratory Capacity (IC): The maximum volume of air that can be inhaled after a normal
expiration. It is the sum of tidal volume and inspiratory reserve volume.

Functional Residual Capacity (FRC): The volume of air that remains in the lungs after normal
expiration. It is the sum of expiratory reserve volume and residual volume.

Vital Capacity (VC): The maximum volume of air that can be exhaled after a maximal
inhalation. It is the sum of inspiratory reserve volume, tidal volume, and expiratory reserve
volume.

Total Lung Capacity (TLC): The total volume of air that the lungs can hold at maximum inflation.
It is the sum of all lung volumes, including inspiratory reserve volume, tidal volume, expiratory
reserve volume, and residual volume.
Functions of the respiratory system
Gas exchange

The lungs allow us to inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. This helps us meet the oxygen
requirements of our body and get rid of waste products.

Filtration

The respiratory system filters foreign particles such as dust and bacteria before they reach the
lungs.

Vocalization

The larynx and other respiratory organs also facilitate speech by controlling the flow of air
through the vocal cords.

Immune response

The respiratory system is equipped with cells that defend against pathogens and harmful
particles.
Acid-Base Balance Regulation: Helps maintain the body's pH levels by controlling carbon dioxide
levels through exhalation.

Heat and Water Balance: Contributes to heat regulation and conserves water in various
environmental conditions.

Blood Pressure Regulation: Affects blood pressure through changes in breathing patterns and lung
volume.

Metabolic Gas Exchange: Facilitates the exchange of gases involved in metabolic processes,
including nitrogen.

Odor Detection: Houses olfactory receptors for detecting odors in the air we breathe.

Detoxification: Helps eliminate volatile compounds and waste products through exhalation.

Cooling Mechanism: Assists in cooling the body through water evaporation during breathing.

Nitric Oxide Production: Produces small amounts of nitric oxide, which regulates blood flow and
acts as an antimicrobial agent.
Breathing Rate and Factors
Influencing It

The average breathing rate in adults is typically around 12 to 20 breaths per minute at
rest.

Factors influencing breathing rate:

🞆 Physical activity and exercise
🞆 Emotional states
🞆 Environmental factors
🞆 Lung diseases or conditions