The Respiratory System

Human Respiratory System

Upper Respiratory Tract
Upper Respiratory Tract
Functions:

 Passageway for respiration

 Receptors for smell
 Filters incoming air to filter larger foreign material
 Moistens and warms incoming air
 Resonating chambers for voice
Lower Respiratory Tract
Lower Respiratory Tract
Functions:

 Larynx: maintains an open airway, routes food and air

appropriately, assists in sound production
 Trachea: transports air to and from lungs

 Bronchi: branch into lungs

 Lungs: transport air to alveoli for gas exchange

Organs of the Respiratory System
 Nose
 Pharynx
 Larynx
 Trachea
 Bronchi
 Lungs – alveoli
Functions of the Respiratory System

 To supply the body with oxygen and dispose of carbon

dioxide
 Respiration – four distinct processes must happen

P I E T
Pulmonary ventilation – moving air into and out of the
lungs
Internal respiration – gas exchange between systemic
blood vessels and tissues
External respiration – gas exchange between the lungs
and the blood
Transport – transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide
between the lungs and tissues
Nose
Functions:

 Providing an airway for respiration

Moistening (humidifying) and warming the entering air
Filtering inspired air and cleaning it of foreign matter
Serving as a resonating chamber for speech
Housing the olfactory receptors
Structure of the Nose
Nasal Cavity

Lies in and posterior to the external nose

Is divided by a midline nasal septum
Opens posteriorly into the nasal pharynx via internal nares
Connects with pharynx posteriorly
The floor is formed by the hard and soft palates
Nasal Cavity
Inspired air is:

Humidified by the high water content in the nasal cavity

Warmed by rich plexuses of capillaries

Ciliated mucosal cells remove contaminated mucus

Sinuses
• Sinuses in bones that surround the nasal cavity
• Sinuses lighten the skull and help to warm and moisten the
air
Pharynx
Funnel-shaped tube of skeletal muscle that connects to
the:

 Nasal cavity and mouth superiorly

 Larynx and esophagus inferiorly
 Extends from the base of the skull to the
level of the sixth cervical vertebra
Pharynx
Three regions:

• Nasopharynx
• Oropharynx
• Laryngopharynx
Larynx (Voice Box)
• Hollow muscular organ forming air passage to the lungs
and holding the vocal cords
• The three functions of the larynx are:
1. To provide a patent airway
2. To act as a switching mechanism to route
air and food into the proper channels
3. To function in voice production
Vocal Cord Movement
VOCAL CORDS
Trachea
• At the level of the sternal angle, the trachea bifurcates
into two smaller tubes, called the right and left primary
bronchi.
• Each primary bronchus projects laterally toward each
lung.
• The most inferior tracheal cartilage separates the primary
bronchi at their origin and forms an internal ridge called
the carina.
Trachea
Anatomy of the Lungs
Lungs occupy all of the thoracic cavity except the mediastinum:

• Root – site of vascular and bronchial attachments

• Costal surface – anterior, lateral, and posterior surfaces in
contact with the ribs
• Apex – narrow superior tip
• Base – inferior surface that rests on the diaphragm
• Hilus – indentation that contains pulmonary and systemic
blood vessels
Lungs
• Base, apex (cupula), costal surface, cardiac notch
• Oblique & horizontal fissure in right lung results in 3 lobes
• Oblique fissure only in left lung produces 2 lobes
HOW THE LUNGS WORK
Alveoli
Structure of Alveoli
 Alveolar duct

 Alveolar sac

 Alveolus

 Gas exchange
HOW ALVEOLI WORKS
Blood supply to the Lungs
• Lungs are perfused by two circulations: pulmonary and
bronchial
• Pulmonary arteries – supply systemic venous blood to be
oxygenated
• Branch profusely, along with bronchi
• Ultimately feed into the pulmonary capillary network
surrounding the alveoli
• Pulmonary veins – carry oxygenated blood from respiratory
zones to the heart
• Bronchial arteries – provide systemic blood to the lung tissue
• Arise from aorta and enter the lungs at the hilus
• Supply all lung tissue except the alveoli
• Bronchial veins anastomose with pulmonary veins
• Pulmonary veins carry most venous blood back to the heart
END