RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

- a system responsible for breathing and respiration

Breathing – the mechanical process of taking air into the lungs and letting it out again
Respiration – the exchange of gases between the body and outside environment

O2 requirement:
- How much air do we breathe and how much O2 do we absorb into our body from the air?
18x a minute
25,000x a day = 175gallons of O2 everyday

Phases of Respiration:
1. Pulmonary ventilation – the 1st process which is also known as breathing
Mechanisms of breathing:
a. Inspiration (Inflow) – process of taking air into the lungs
b. Expiration (Outflow) – the reverse process
2. External respiration (Pulmonary respiration) – The exchange of gases between the lungs
and pulmonary capillaries. The blood gains O2 and loses CO2.
3. Internal respiration (Tissue respiration) – the exchange of gases between body cells and
systemic capillaries. The blood loses O2 and gains CO2.

Structures of the Respiratory System

A. Structural division
1. Upper respiratory system – refers to the nose, pharynx, and associated structures
2. Lower respiratory system – refers to the larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs

B. Functional division
1. Conducting portion – consists a series of interconnecting tubes and cavities
Ex. Nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles that conduct
air into the lungs
2. Respiratory portion – consists of those portions where the exchange of gases occurs.
Ex. Respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sac and alveoli

Organs of Respiratory System

1. Nose
2. Nasal cavity
3. Pharynx
4. Larynx
5. Trachea
6. Bronchi
7. Lungs

1. Nose
- the peripheral organ of smell, that is composed of external portion that projects from the
center of the face

2. Nasal Cavity
Structures on nasal cavity
1. nasal septum – divides the cavity into right and left cavities
2. nasal fossa – referring to each half of the nasal cavity
3. anterior nares/nostrils – external opening

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 4. posterior nares/choanae – internal opening
5. turbinate bone – 3 bony projections on the lateral walls (superior, middle, inferior conchae)
6. meatuses – space between turbinate bone for air passages
7. vibrissae – nasal hairs

3. Pharynx (Throat)
- a short funnel shaped passageway that connects the nasal and oral cavities to the larynx.

Divisions of pharynx (on the bases of function and location)

1. Nasopharynx – superior portion found at the back of nasal cavity with 5 openings: 2
choanae, 2 auditory canal, 1 oropharynx. Contains the pharyngeal tonsils
(adenoid).
2. Oropharynx – the middle portion behind the oral cavity, contain two other tonsils- lingual
and palatine tonsils.
3. Laryngopharynx (hypopharynx) – behind the larynx and lowermost portion, with 2 openings
for the larynx (laryngeal inlet) and esophagus.

4. Larynx (Voicebox)
- a short passageway between the pharynx and trachea, composed of a framework of
9cartilages

Functions:
1. to prevent food or fluid entering the trachea and lungs during swallowing and to permit
passage of air while breathing

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 2. to produce sound

Components of Larynx:

A. Unpaired (3) cartilages

1. Thyroid cartilage (Adam’s apple) – largest and shield like or triangular in shape
2. Epiglottis (lid cartilage) – spoon or leaf shaped cartilage found behind the tongue; it
covers the glottis or laryngeal opening during swallowing. Thus known as “guardian of
the airways”.
3. Cricoids cartilage – signet ring like and forms the inferior wall of the larynx

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B. Paired (3) cartilages
1. Arytenoids cartilage – pyramid shaped
2. Corniculate cartilage – circular or horn shaped
3. Cuneiform cartilage – wedged or club shaped, beneath the lateral side of glottis.

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Voice production:
- The mucous membrane of the larynx forms 2 pairs of folds or types of vocal
cords.
1. Ventricular folds (false vocal cords) – superior pair, support the true vocal cords
and are not use in sound production.
2. Vocal folds (true vocal cords) – inferior pair, it vibrates to produce sound
5. Trachea (Windpipe)
- is a musculo cartilaginous tube about 4-6 inches in length and 1inch in diameter,
extending from the larynx to the primary bronchi at the level of C6 to T4
- consists of 16-20 C-shaped rings to hold the trachea open, enabling air to pass
freely at all times

6. Bronchi
- tubes formed by the bifurcation of trachea
- right bronchus is wider, shorter and more vertical, while the left is narrower and
more horizontal in position with incomplete rings of cartilage.
7. Lungs
- A spongy, paired cone shaped organ lying in the thoracic cavity, separated from
each other by the heart.
- Each lung is divided into lobes; the right lung is larger, wider and heavier with
3lobes divided by the oblique and horizontal fissures while the left lung is longer,
narrower, lighter with 2lobes divided only by oblique fissures.

Structures associated with lungs:

1. bronchi
2. bronchioles – smaller branches of bronchi
3. alveolar ducts – microscopic branches of bronchioles
4. alveoli – microscopic sacs at the ends of alveolar ducts; for the exchange of
gases between blood and air
Types of breathing:
1. eupnea – normal quiet breathing
2. apnea – temporary cessation of breathing
3. dyspnea – difficult breathing
4. orthopnea – inability to breath easily in horizontal position
5. tachypnea – rapid and shallow breathing

THE END
DR. ELOISA BELTRAN ABQUINA-MALLO