Lecture - 6 - Airflow Breathing Mechanism - Lecture
Lecture - 6 - Airflow Breathing Mechanism - Lecture
Lecture - 6 - Airflow Breathing Mechanism - Lecture
It consists of alveolar
fluid, surfactant,
epithelial cells of
alveoli, basement
membrane of
epithelial cell and
endothelial cell of
capillary
Short essay question
Explain why diffusion of gases
between alveoli air and blood is quick?
1. Small distance between alveolar air
and blood in pulmonary capillaries
2. Very thin wall of alveoli and
capillaries
3. Large total surface area of alveoli and
capillaries
4. Pressure gradient of O2 and CO2
ملتصقين ورفيعين وممطوطين
Dalton law of partial pressures
• Partial pressure = Total pressure ×
Fractional gas concentration
• In dry inspired air:
1 → 760 mmHg
0.21 → ?? mmHg
PO2 = 760 mmHg X 0.21 = 160 mmHg
• In humidified tracheal air:
P Total = 760 mmHg - 47 mmHg = 713
mmHg
PO2 = 713 mmHg X 0.21 = 150 mmHg
Principles of gas transport across respiratory membrane
➢Oxygen will continue to move into
blood from the alveoli as long as the
oxygen concentration in blood is less
than that in the alveoli until it is equal
to that in the alveoli
➢The concentration of a gas dissolved
in water is expressed in terms of the
partial pressure of that gas
➢in the mixture of gases that were in
contact with the water, gas will
continue to dissolve until the water is
saturated
Principles of gas transport (cont.)
➢Henry’s law states that the
amount of gas that will
dissolve in water is
proportional to its partial
pressure
➢Concentration of dissolved
gas = partial pressure of the
gas X solubility coefficient
Gas exchange in the lung alveoli and gas exchange
between systemic capillaries and body cells
Principles of gas transport (cont.)
➢Boyle’s law, the pressure in a fixed
amount of gas will increase as its
volume decreases, as long as
temperature does not change
(pressure multiplied by volume is a
constant value)
➢For example, a decreasing pressure
is created within lungs as
diaphragm contracts and chest wall
moves outwards → This pressure
difference allows atmospheric
pressure to push air into the lungs
Surface tension of the alveoli
• results from the attractive forces between liquid molecules
lining the alveoli at the air–liquid interface.
• creates a collapsing pressure that is directly proportional to
surface tension and inversely proportional to alveolar
radius (Laplace law), as shown in the following equation:
2𝑇
P=
𝑟
• where: P = collapsing pressure on alveolus [dynes/cm2]
• T = surface tension (dynes/cm)
• r = radius of alveolus (cm)
Surface tension of the alveoli (cont.)
a. Large alveoli (large radii) have low collapsing
pressures and are easy to keep open.
b. Small alveoli (small radii) have high collapsing
pressures and are more difficult to keep open.
• In the absence of surfactant, the small alveoli have
a tendency to collapse (atelectasis).
Pulmonary Surfactant
• lines the alveoli.
• reduces surface tension by disrupting
the intermolecular forces between
liquid molecules. This reduction in
surface tension prevents small alveoli
from collapsing and increases
compliance.
• is synthesized by type II alveolar cells
and consists primarily of phospholipid
dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine
Factors that change airway resistance
a. Contraction or relaxation of
bronchial smooth muscle
➢changes airway resistance by
altering the radius of the airways.
1. Parasympathetic stimulation,
constrict the airways, decrease the
radius, and increase the resistance
to airflow.
2. Sympathetic stimulation dilate the
airways, increase the radius, and
decrease the resistance to airflow.
Factors that change airway resistance (cont.)
b. Lung volume
➢alters airway resistance because of the radial traction
exerted on the airways by surrounding lung tissue.
1. High lung volumes are associated with greater traction
on airways and decreased airway resistance.
2. Low lung volumes are associated with less traction and
increased airway resistance, even to the point of airway
collapse.
Factors that change airway resistance (cont.)
c. Viscosity or density of
inspired gas
➢changes the resistance to
airflow.
➢During a deep-sea dive, both
air density and resistance to
airflow are increased
➢Breathing a low-density gas,
such as helium, reduces the
resistance to airflow.
Mechanism of breathing
➢ Diaphragm is
innervated by
phrenic nerve
arising from C3 to
C5
➢ Intercostal nerves
arise from the
thoracic spinal
nerves from T1-
T11
Normal quiet breathing
Forced (deep) breathing
Negative intrapleural pressure
➢Negative pressure (suction) causes
the visceral pleura to remain in
contact with the parietal pleura
➢So that when the chest wall &
parietal pleura moves, the parietal
pleura takes the visceral pleura and
lungs with it
➢This ensure that lungs expand as
chest wall expands
➢The intrapleural pressure =
-4 mmHg at rest
Short essay question
Mention two expiratory
muscles and their role
➢Abdominal muscles,
compress the abdominal
cavity, push the
diaphragm up, and push
air out of the lungs.
➢Internal intercostal
muscles pull the ribs
downward and inward.