Your respiratory system includes your:
- Nose and nasal cavity
- Sinuses
- Mouth
- Throat (pharynx)
- Voice box (larynx)
- Windpipe (trachea)
- Diaphragm
- Lungs
What is the respiratory system made of?
Respiratory system. The respiratory system is made up of the organs included in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. These are the parts: The upper respiratory tract is made up of the: The lower respiratory tract is made up of the:
What are the lungs made of?
The lungs are a pair of cone-shaped organs made up of spongy, pinkish-gray tissue. They take up most of the space in the chest (thorax). The lungs are surrounded by a membrane (pleura). The lungs are separated from each other by the mediastinum, an area that contains the: Heart and its large vessels.
What is the name of the tube that the lungs are in?
In the lungs, the main-stem bronchi divide into smaller bronchi. The smaller bronchi divide into even smaller tubes (bronchioles). Bronchioles end in tiny air sacs (alveoli) where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs. You then breathe out carbon dioxide.
How many lobes does the right lung have?
The right lung has 3 sections, called lobes. The left lung has 2 lobes. When you breathe in:
What are the elements of the respiratory system?
The blood, as a carrier for the gases, and the circulatory system (i.e., the heart and the blood vessels) are mandatory elements of a working respiratory system ( see blood; cardiovascular system ). human nasal cavity. Sagittal view of the human nasal cavity. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
What is the respiratory tract?
The respiratory tract conveys air from the mouth and nose to the lungs, where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the alveoli and the capillaries. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. See all videos for this article.
What are the airways in the upper airway?
The upper airway system comprises the nose and the paranasal cavities (or sinuses ), the pharynx (or throat), and partly also the oral cavity, since it may be used for breathing. The lower airway system consists of the larynx, the trachea, the stem bronchi, and all the airways ramifying intensively within the lungs, such as the intrapulmonary bronchi, the bronchioles, and the alveolar ducts. For respiration, the collaboration of other organ systems is clearly essential. The diaphragm, as the main respiratory muscle, and the intercostal muscles of the chest wall play an essential role by generating, under the control of the central nervous system, the pumping action on the lung. The muscles expand and contract the internal space of the thorax, the bony framework of which is formed by the ribs and the thoracic vertebrae. The contribution of the lung and chest wall (ribs and muscles) to respiration is described below in The mechanics of breathing. The blood, as a carrier for the gases, and the circulatory system (i.e., the heart and the blood vessels) are mandatory elements of a working respiratory system ( see blood; cardiovascular system ).
What is the nose?
The nose is the external protuberance of an internal space, the nasal cavity. It is subdivided into a left and right canal by a thin medial cartilaginous and bony wall, the nasal septum. Each canal opens to the face by a nostril and into the pharynx by the choana. The floor of the nasal cavity is formed by the palate, which also forms the roof of the oral cavity. The complex shape of the nasal cavity is due to projections of bony ridges, the superior, middle, and inferior turbinate bones (or conchae), from the lateral wall. The passageways thus formed below each ridge are called the superior, middle, and inferior nasal meatuses.
What is the nasal cavity?
The nasal cavity with its adjacent spaces is lined by a respiratory mucosa. Typically, the mucosa of the nose contains mucus-secreting glands and venous plexuses; its top cell layer, the epithelium, consists principally of two cell types, ciliated and secreting cells. This structural design reflects the particular ancillary functions of the nose and of the upper airways in general with respect to respiration. They clean, moisten, and warm the inspired air, preparing it for intimate contact with the delicate tissues of the gas-exchange area. During expiration through the nose, the air is dried and cooled, a process that saves water and energy.
What are the functions of the sinuses?
The sinuses have two principal functions: because they are filled with air, they help keep the weight of the skull within reasonable limits, and they serve as resonance chambers for the human voice. The nasal cavity with its adjacent spaces is lined by a respiratory mucosa.
What is the function of the lung?
The lung provides the tissues of the human body with a continuous flow of oxygen and clears the blood of the gaseous waste product, carbon dioxide. Atmospheric air is pumped in and out regularly through a system of pipes, called conducting airways, which join the gas-exchange region with the outside of the body.
What is the respiratory system?
The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies greatly, depending on the size of the organism, ...
What are the molecules that the respiratory system secretes?
Respiratory epithelium can secrete a variety of molecules that aid in the defense of the lungs. These include secretory immunoglobulins (IgA), collectins, defensins and other peptides and proteases, reactive oxygen species, and reactive nitrogen species. These secretions can act directly as antimicrobials to help keep the airway free of infection. A variety of chemokines and cytokines are also secreted that recruit the traditional immune cells and others to the site of infections.
What is the upper respiratory tract?
The tract is divided into an upper and a lower respiratory tract. The upper tract includes the nose, nasal cavities, sinuses, pharynx and the part of the larynx above the vocal folds. The lower tract (Fig. 2.) includes the lower part of the larynx, the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and the alveoli .
Which generation of the bronchioles is the air conduit?
The earlier generations (approximately generations 0–16), consisting of the trachea and the bronchi, as well as the larger bronchioles which simply act as air conduits, bringing air to the respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts and alveoli (approximately generations 17–23), where gas exchange takes place.
What causes a cough reflex?
Irritation of nerve endings within the nasal passages or airways , can induce a cough reflex and sneezing. These responses cause air to be expelled forcefully from the trachea or nose, respectively. In this manner, irritants caught in the mucus which lines the respiratory tract are expelled or moved to the mouth where they can be swallowed. During coughing, contraction of the smooth muscle in the airway walls narrows the trachea by pulling the ends of the cartilage plates together and by pushing soft tissue into the lumen. This increases the expired airflow rate to dislodge and remove any irritant particle or mucus.
How do insects exchange gases?
Insects were once believed to exchange gases with the environment continuously by the simple diffusion of gases into the tracheal system. More recently, however, large variation in insect ventilatory patterns has been documented and insect respiration appears to be highly variable. Some small insects do not demonstrate continuous respiratory movements and may lack muscular control of the spiracles. Others, however, utilize muscular contraction of the abdomen along with coordinated spiracle contraction and relaxation to generate cyclical gas exchange patterns and to reduce water loss into the atmosphere. The most extreme form of these patterns is termed discontinuous gas exchange cycles.
What is the largest air sac in the body?
These air sacs communicate with the external environment via a system of airways, or hollow tubes, of which the largest is the trachea, which branches in the middle of the chest into the two main bronchi.
How Does the Respiratory System Work?
Organs specialized for breathing usually contain moist structures with large surface areas to allow the diffusion of gases. They are also adapted to protect the organism from the invasion of pathogens along those surfaces .
What is the structure of the respiratory tree?
This respiratory tree ends in puffy structures called alveoli that are made of a single layer of squamous cells, surrounded by a network of capillaries. Gas exchange occurs within alveoli. Since external respiration in many vertebrates involves lungs, it is also called pulmonary ventilation.
Why is the respiratory tract important?
They have an important role in the immune system since the respiratory tract is one of the organ systems with intensive and repeated interaction with the environment ( the other is the digestive system ).
What is the respiratory system of an invertebrates?
Some invertebrates, like cockroaches, have simple respiratory systems made of interconnecting tubules directly delivering oxygen to tissues. In humans and other mammals, there is an extensive, highly vascularized organ system specialized for gas exchange. The respiratory system begins in the nose, continues into the pharynx and larynx, ...
How do the cells of the respiratory tract help the lungs?
Other Functions. The cells of the respiratory tract can help in removing clots in pulmonary blood vessels. They also activate hormones and either remove or add to the substances circulating in the blood. They can make incoming air warm and moist, in order to protect the delicate cells of the inner respiratory passages.
How do animals produce carbon dioxide?
Animal cells use oxygen and produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Not only do animals need a way to get more oxygen into the cells, but they also need a way to remove carbon dioxide. The respiratory system provides this functionality. The lungs or gills of an animal remove carbon dioxide while delivering oxygen to the blood.
What is the function of the nose?
The nose plays an important role in respiration, but the olfactory nerves and their associated structures are also involved in sensing smell. This has functions ranging from digestion (the cephalic phase of digestion) to hunting, recognition, and mating. Most animals have some sort of olfactory senses, usually in the form of nerves within the respiratory system. Sharks, for instance, can smell blood in the water up to several miles away. Terrestrial predators, like wolves, also use their olfactory senses to detect prey.
What is the Respiratory System?
As defined above, the human respiratory system consists of a group of organs and tissues that help us to breathe. Aside from the lungs, there are also muscles and a vast network of blood vessels that facilitate the process of respiration.
What are the two types of respiration?
There are two types of respiration processes in humans: External Respiration, that involves the inhalation and exhalation of gases. Internal Respiration, that involves the exchange of gases between blood and body cells. Respiration in humans takes place through the lungs. It is the largest organ of the human respiratory system.
What is the role of respiration in the body?
Also Read: Respiratory System Disorders. Respiration is one of the metabolic processes which plays an essential role in all living organisms. Breathing is the first step in respiration for almost all organisms. The inhaling and exhaling of gas and its mechanism depend on the environment in which the organisms live.
What system helps in breathing?
The respiratory system helps in breathing, known as pulmonary ventilation. The air inhaled through the nose moves through the pharynx, larynx, and trachea into the lungs. The air is exhaled back through the same pathway. Changes in the volume and pressure in the lungs aid in pulmonary ventilation.
Where does respiration take place?
Respiration in humans takes place through the lungs. It is the largest organ of the human respiratory system. The air inhaled moves down the trachea into the lungs where oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide from the body tissues. Carbon dioxide is then exhaled out of the lungs through the mouth.
Which organs are coated with ciliated epithelial cells and goblet cells?
The trachea and the bronchi are coated with ciliated epithelial cells and goblet cells (secretory cells) which discharge mucus to moisten the air as it passes through the respiratory tract. It also traps the fine bits of dust or pathogen that escaped the hair in the nasal openings. The motile cilia beat in an ascending motion, such that the mucus and other foreign particles are carried back to the buccal cavity where it may either be coughed out (or swallowed.)
What is the physical process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide in and out of our lungs?
Breathing is the physical process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide in and out of our lungs. On the contrary, respiration is the chemical process where oxygen is utilized to breakdown glucose to generate energy to carry out different cellular processes. Test your knowledge on Human Respiratory System. Q 5.
What is the respiratory system?
All About the Human Respiratory System. The respiratory system is responsible for the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the human body. This system also helps remove metabolic waste products and keep pH levels in check. The major parts of the respiratory system include the upper respiratory tract and the lower respiratory tract.
Which part of the respiratory system allows air to flow directly to the lungs?
Lower respiratory tract. The trachea, or windpipe, is the passage that allows air to flow directly to the lungs. This tube is very rigid and is composed of multiple tracheal rings. Anything that causes the trachea to narrow, such as inflammation or obstruction, will restrict oxygen flow to the lungs.
What part of the body controls air temperature?
The sinuses help to regulate air temperature as you breathe. In addition to entering through the nasal cavity, air can also enter through the mouth. Once air enters the body, it flows into the lower portion of the upper respiratory system with the pharynx and larynx. The pharynx, or throat, allows for the passage of air from ...
How does deoxygenated blood get oxygenated?
Once the deoxygenated blood reaches the alveoli, it releases the carbon dioxide in exchange for oxygen. The blood is now oxygenated. The oxygenated blood then travels from the lungs back to the heart, where it’s released back into the circulatory system.
What is the name of the disease that causes the alveoli to become inflamed with pus and fluid?
Pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection that causes the alveoli to become inflamed with pus and fluid. SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, and COVID-19 both cause pneumonia -like symptoms, which are both caused by the coronavirus. This family of viruses has been linked to other severe respiratory infections. If left untreated, pneumonia can be fatal. Symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing with mucus, and more.
What causes respiratory problems?
Bacteria, viruses, and even autoimmune conditions can cause illnesses of the respiratory system. Some respiratory illnesses and conditions only affect the upper tract, while others primarily affect the lower tract.
Where is the upper respiratory tract located?
The upper respiratory tract begins with the sinuses and nasal cavity, both of which are in the area behind the nose.
What is the respiratory system?
The human respiratory system is composed of the nasal passages, the pharynx, larynx, the trachea, bronchi, and the lungs. It is responsible for the process of respiration that is vital to the survival of living beings. Respiration is the process of obtaining and using oxygen, while eliminating carbon dioxide.
Which bronchial system is responsible for the exchange of gases between the blood and the air?
The exchange of gases between the blood and the air takes place through these walls. The right main bronchus enters the right lung. It divides into three secondary bronchi that supply air to the superior, middle, and inferior lobe of the right lung. The left main bronchus enters the root of the left lung.
What is the airway that connects the larynx and the pharynx?
This refers to the airway through which respiratory air travels. The rings of cartilage within its walls keep the trachea open. It connects the larynx and the pharynx to the lungs.
What are the secondary bronchi?
The secondary bronchi divide into tertiary bronchi, which further divide to form bronchioles. These smaller bronchioles divide into terminal bronchioles, that further form respiratory bronchioles. They divide into alveolar ducts, each of which has 5-6 alveolar sacs associated with it.
How many cartilages are in the larynx?
Larynx Structure. Supporting the mammalian larynx are nine cartilages. The thyroid cartilage forms the Adam’s apple. The inferior wall of the larynx is formed by cricoid cartilage attached to the top of the trachea. A large piece of elastic cartilage forms the epiglottis.
Which bronchial lobe is the root of the right lung?
The right main bronchus enters the right lung. It divides into three secondary bronchi that supply air to the superior, middle, and inferior lobe of the right lung. The left main bronchus enters the root of the left lung. It divides into two secondary bronchi that supply air to the superior and inferior lobes of the left lung. The secondary bronchi divide into tertiary bronchi, which further divide to form bronchioles. These smaller bronchioles divide into terminal bronchioles, that further form respiratory bronchioles. They divide into alveolar ducts, each of which has 5-6 alveolar sacs associated with it.
Which cartilages affect the position and tension of the vocal folds?
The arytenoid cartilages affect the position and tension of the vocal folds. Located on top of these are the corniculate cartilages. Positioned anterior to these are the cuneiform cartilages. The intrinsic muscles of the larynx are classified as respiratory and phonatory.
What is the respiratory system?
The respiratory system is one of the thirteen systems of the human body and, as such, it is born from the union of different organs and tissues that work in a coordinated way to, in this case, allow gas exchange. Namely, its function is to provide oxygen to the blood and eliminate carbon dioxide, a toxic substance generated as a waste from cellular metabolism.
What is the second major structure of the respiratory system?
The pharynx is the second major structure of the respiratory system, although it is also part of the digestive. It is a tube located in the neck that connects the mouth with the esophagus and the nostrils with the larynx, the next respiratory structure.
What is the name of the two cavities in the nose?
The nostrils are the beginning of the respiratory system. These are two cavities located in the nose and separated by what is known as the sagittal septum. In addition to having the neurons involved in the sense of smell, they are the main routes of entry and exit of air.
What muscle is located below the lungs?
We are talking about the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle located below the lungs It contracts during inspiration to help the lungs work and relaxes during expiration.
Where are the alveoli located?
If the lungs are the center of the respiratory system, these alveoli are the functional center of these lungs. It is in them that gas exchange actually takes place. These are small sacs between 0.1 and 0.2 millimeters in diameter that are found at the end of the narrowest bronchioles.
How many people are affected by asthma?
And it is not only that infectious respiratory diseases such as flu or colds are the most common pathologies in the world, but asthma, for example, affects some 330 million people.
How many times do we breathe?
Every day, we breathe about 21,000 times, circulating more than 8,000 liters of air through this respiratory system.. This translates into more than 600 million breaths and a circulation of more than 240 million liters of air throughout life. And in today’s article we will analyze the morphology and physiology of all those structures that make it up.
How does oxygen get into the body?
They take oxygen into the body and breathe out carbon dioxide. Oxygen is retrieved from the lungs by red blood cells that then carry the oxygen throughout the body to the cells that need it. After the red blood cells drop off the oxygen, they pick up carbon dioxide and transport it back to the lungs where it is exhaled out. ADVERTISEMENT.
Why do we breathe?
Humans need to breathe to deliver oxygen to the body and rid the body of carbon dioxide, a waste gas that is produced by the body's cells. Every function of the respiratory system begins with the diaphragm, a muscle located directly below the lungs. Breathing in causes the diaphragm to contract which creates more space for the lungs.
What is the trachea?
The trachea is shaped like a pipe. When a person breathes in, the trachea filters the air down into the bronchi, two air tubes that then carry air directly to the lungs. The main organs of the respiratory system are the lungs. They take oxygen into the body and breathe out carbon dioxide.
What happens when you breathe in and out?
Breathing in causes the diaphragm to contract which creates more space for the lungs. By enlarging this space, the lungs can pull air into them. Breathing out causes the diaphragm to expand and reduce this space, forcing air out. The trachea is shaped like a pipe.
Overview
Mammals
- The respiratory system is made up of the organs included in the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. These are the parts: 1. Nose 2. Mouth 3. Throat (pharynx) 4. Voice box (larynx) 5. Windpipe (trachea) 6. Large airways (bronchi) 7. Small airways (bronchioles) 8. Lungs The upper respiratory tract is made up of the: 1. Nose 2. Nasal cavity 3. Sinu...
Exceptional mammals
Birds
The respiratory system (also respiratory apparatus, ventilatory system) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for gas exchange in animals and plants. The anatomy and physiology that make this happen varies greatly, depending on the size of the organism, the environment in which it lives and its evolutionary history. In land animals the respiratory surface is internalized as linings of the lungs. Gas exchange in the lungs occurs in milli…
Reptiles
In humans and other mammals, the anatomy of a typical respiratory system is the respiratory tract. The tract is divided into an upper and a lower respiratory tract. The upper tract includes the nose, nasal cavities, sinuses, pharynx and the part of the larynx above the vocal folds. The lower tract (Fig. 2.) includes the lower part of the larynx, the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and the alveoli.
The branching airways of the lower tract are often described as the respiratory tree or tracheobro…
Amphibians
Horses are obligate nasal breathers which means that they are different from many other mammals because they do not have the option of breathing through their mouths and must take in air through their noses.
The elephant is the only mammal known to have no pleural space. Rather, the parietal and visceral pleura are both composed of dense connective tissue and joined to each other via loose connecti…
Fish
The respiratory system of birds differs significantly from that found in mammals. Firstly, they have rigid lungs which do not expand and contract during the breathing cycle. Instead an extensive system of air sacs (Fig. 15) distributed throughout their bodies act as the bellows drawing environmental air into the sacs, and expelling the spent air after it has passed through the lungs (Fig. 18). Birds also do not have diaphragms or pleural cavities.
Invertebrates
The anatomical structure of the lungs is less complex in reptiles than in mammals, with reptiles lacking the very extensive airway tree structure found in mammalian lungs. Gas exchange in reptiles still occurs in alveoli however. Reptiles do not possess a diaphragm. Thus, breathing occurs via a change in the volume of the body cavity which is controlled by contraction of intercostal muscles in all reptiles except turtles. In turtles, contraction of specific pairs of flank mu…
Function
Both the lungs and the skin serve as respiratory organs in amphibians. The ventilation of the lungs in amphibians relies on positive pressure ventilation. Muscles lower the floor of the oral cavity, enlarging it and drawing in air through the nostrils into the oral cavity. With the nostrils and mouth closed, the floor of the oral cavity is then pushed up, which forces air down the trachea into the lungs. The skin of these animals is highly vascularized and moist, with moisture maintained via s…
Other animals
Oxygen is poorly soluble in water. Fully aerated fresh water therefore contains only 8–10 ml O2/liter compared to the O2 concentration of 210 ml/liter in the air at sea level. Furthermore, the coefficient of diffusion (i.e. the rate at which a substances diffuses from a region of high concentration to one of low concentration, under standard conditions) of the respiratory gases is typically 10,000 faster in air than in water. Thus oxygen, for instance, has a diffusion coefficient o…
Significance
Some species of crab use a respiratory organ called a branchiostegal lung. Its gill-like structure increases the surface area for gas exchange which is more suited to taking oxygen from the air than from water. Some of the smallest spiders and mites can breathe simply by exchanging gas through the surface of the body. Larger spiders, scorpions and other arthropods use a primitive book lung.
Classification
Structure
- In fish, this gas exchange occurs through gills. Some invertebrates, like cockroaches, have simple respiratory systems made of interconnecting tubules directly delivering oxygen to tissues. In humans and other mammals, there is an extensive, highly vascularized organ system specialized for gas exchange.
Mechanism
- Finally, epithelial cells of the lung also produce surfactant that makes the process of inhalation and exhalation easier. In fact, adequate production of surfactant by fetal lung cells is an important prerequisite for viability in pre-term births.
Clinical significance
- The airways can be divided into the conducting and respiratory zones. The conducting zone begins at the nose and ends at smaller bronchioles, and these passages carry air towards the inner recesses of the lungs. The respiratory zone contains the terminal bronchioles and the alveoli the sites where gas exchange occurs.
Causes
- The trachea splits to form two primary bronchi, called the left and right bronchi. Each of these leads towards a lung and then undergoes repeated branching to produce secondary, tertiary bronchi, and bronchioles, with successively smaller diameters. When the bronchioles are less than a millimeter in diameter, they are called terminal bronchioles, whose purpose is to end in v…
Prevention
- The alveoli directly contact tiny capillaries from the circulatory system and are able to pass small gas molecules and some waste products across the cell membranes separating them. Oxygen is added to the blood, while carbon dioxide is taken into the alveoli. When the breath is released, this carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. The oxygen will make its way via the circula…
Overview
- Diseases of the respiratory tract can arise due to obstruction to the airway, constriction of the passages, or the loss of the extensive surface area of alveoli for gas exchange. There could also be difficulties with the capillaries surrounding these alveoli, either due to clots or due to altered cardiac function. These illnesses could be chronic conditions or temporary infections. They coul…