• Breathing (pulmonary ventilation).

consists of two
cyclic phases:
A system, consisting of tubes and is o Inhalation, also called inspiration - draws
responsible for the exchange of gases in humans gases into the lungs.
by filtering incoming air and transporting it into the o Exhalation, also called expiration - forces
microscopic alveoli where gases are exchanged. gases out of the lungs.
The organs of the “Respiratory Tract” can be divided
into two groups
“STRUCTURALLY”
The Upper Respiratory Tract
• Nose
• Nasal cavity
• Sinuses
• Pharynx
The Lower Respiratory Tract
• Larynx
• Trachea
• Bronchial Tree
• Lungs
Upper Respiratory Tract Functions
• Passageway for respiration
• Receptors for smell
• Filters incoming air to filter larger foreign
material
• The respiratory system is the set of organs that • Moistens and warms incoming air
allows a person to breathe and exchange • Resonating chambers for voice
oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the Lower Respiratory Tract Functions:
body. • Larynx: maintains an open airway, routes food
• The integrated system of organs involved in the and air appropriately, assists in sound
intake and exchange of oxygen and carbon production
dioxide between the body and the environment • Trachea: transports air to and from lungs
and including the nasal passages, larynx, • Bronchi: branch into lungs
trachea, bronchial tubes, and lungs. • Lungs: transport air to alveoli for gas exchange
• The respiratory system performs two major “FUNCTIONALLY”
tasks: The Conducting Portion - system of interconnecting
• Exchanging air between the body and the cavities and tubes that conduct air into the lungs
outside environment known as external • Nose
respiration. • Pharynx
• Bringing oxygen to the cells and removing • Larynx
carbon dioxide from them referred to as internal • Trachea
respiration. • Bronchi
The Respiratory Portion - system where the exchange of
respiratory gases occurs
• Respiratory bronchioles
• Supplies the body with oxygen and disposes of • Alveolar Ducts
carbon dioxide • Alveoli
• Filters inspired air
• Produces sound
• Contains receptors for smell
• Helps regulate blood pH
• Breathing
THE HUMAN RESPIRATORY SYSTEM Nasal Cavity
I. NOSE • Lies in and posterior to the external nose
A. Nasal Cavity • Is divided by a midline nasal septum
• Opens posteriorly into the nasal pharynx via
B. Paranasal Sinuses internal nares
II. PHARYNX • The ethmoid and sphenoid bones form the
roof
III. LARYNX • The floor is formed by the hard and soft
A. Epiglottis
palates
• Vestibule – nasal cavity superior to the
B. Vocal Cords nares
IV. TRACHEA
• Vibrissae – hairs that filter coarse particles
from inspired air
V. BRONCHI • Olfactory mucosa
• Lines the superior nasal cavity
A. Bronchial Tree
• Contains smell receptors
VI. LUNGS
Paranasal Sinuses
A. Lobes of the Lungs
• Sinuses are air-filled spaces within the
B. Pleural Cavities maxillary, frontal, ethmoid, and sphenoid
bones of the skull.
C. Alveoli
• These spaces open to the nasal cavity and
Nose are lined with mucus membrane that is
continuous with that lining the nasal cavity.
• Divided into two halves by the nasal • The sinuses reduce the weight of the skull
septum. and serve as a resonant chamber to affect
• Contains the paranasal sinuses where air is the quality of the voice.
warmed.
• Contains cilia which is responsible for Pharynx
filtering out foreign bodies.
• Common space used by both the
✓ Internal nares – opening to pharynx
respiratory and digestive systems.
✓ External nares - opening to exterior
• Commonly called the throat.
• Nasal conchae - folds in the mucous
membrane that increase air turbulence and • Originates posterior to the nasal and oral
ensures that most air contacts the mucous cavities and extends inferiorly near the level
membranes of the bifurcation of the larynx and
esophagus.
• Provides an airway for respiration
• Common pathway for both air and food.
• Moistens and warms entering air
• Filters and cleans inspired air Three Sections of the Pharynx
• Resonating chamber for speech
1. Nasopharynx - contains the pharyngeal
- detects odors in the air stream
tonsils (adenoids) which aid in the body’s
immune defense.
2. Oropharynx - back portion of the mouth
that contains the palatine tonsils which aid
in the body’s immune defense.
3. Laryngopharynx - bottom section of the
pharynx where the respiratory tract divides
into the esophagus and the larynx.
Larynx • At the level of the sternal angle, the trachea
bifurcates into two smaller tubes, called the
• Voice box is a short, somewhat cylindrical right and left primary bronchi.
airway ends in the trachea.
• Each primary bronchus projects laterally
• Prevents swallowed materials from entering
toward each lung.
the lower respiratory tract.
• Conducts air into the lower respiratory The Trachea
tract.
• Produces sounds. • The inner wall of the trachea is lined with
ciliated mucous membrane with many
• Supported by a framework of nine pieces of
goblet cells that serve to trap incoming
cartilage (three individual pieces and three
particles.
cartilage pairs) that are held in place by
ligaments and muscles. • The tracheal wall is supported by
• 20 incomplete cartilaginous rings.
The Epiglottis
Bronchi
• It is a large leaf-shaped piece of cartilage.
• A flap of cartilage that prevents food from • The Bronchi are the two main air passages
entering the trachea (or windpipe). into the lungs.
• During swallowing, there is elevation of the • They are composed of the:
“Right Primary Bronchus”
• larynx
- leading to the right lung.
The Vocal Cords “Left Primary Bronchus”
- leading to the left lung.
• Inside the larynx, 2 pairs of folds of muscle
and The Bronchial Tree
• connective tissues covered with mucous • The bronchial tree consists of branched
• membrane make up the vocal cords. tubes leading from the trachea to the
o The upper pair is the false vocal alveoli.
cords. • The bronchial tree begins with the two
o The lower pair is the true vocal primary bronchi, each leading to a lung.
cords.
• The branches of the bronchial tree from the
• Changing tension on the vocal cords trachea are right and left primary bronchi;
controls pitch, while increasing the these further subdivide until bronchioles
loudness depends upon increasing the give rise to alveolar ducts which terminate
force of air vibrating the vocal cords. in alveoli.
During normal breathing, • It is through the thin epithelial cells of the
alveoli that gas exchange between the
• the vocal cords are relaxed and the glottis blood and air occurs.
is a triangular slit.
Lungs
During swallowing,
• Each lung has a conical shape. Its wide,
• the false vocal cords and epiglottis close off concave base rests upon the muscular
the glottis. diaphragm.
• Its superior region called the apex projects
Trachea superiorly to a point that is slightly superior
and posterior to the clavicle.
• A flexible tube also called windpipe.
• Both lungs are bordered by the thoracic
• Extends through the mediastinum and lies
wall anteriorly, laterally, and posteriorly,
anterior to the esophagus and inferior to
and supported by the rib cage.
the larynx.
• Cartilage rings reinforce and provide
rigidity to the tracheal wall to ensure that
the trachea remains open at all times.
 • Toward the midline, the lungs are separated The Alveoli
from each other by the mediastinum.
• They are cup-shaped out pouching lined
• The relatively broad, rounded surface in
contact with the thoracic wall is called the • by epithelium and supported by a thin
elastic basement membrane.
costal surface of the lungs
• With that you can imagine having bunch of
Left lung grapes with each grape indicating and
alveolus.
• divided into 2 lobes by oblique fissure • Alveolar sacs are 2 or more alveoli that
• smaller than the right lung share a common opening.
• cardiac notch accommodates the heart • This is where the primary exchange of
Right lung gases occur.

• divided into 3 lobes by oblique and STRUCTURE FUNCTION

horizontal fissure I. nose / nasal warms, moistens, & filters air as
• located more superiorly in the body due to cavity it is inhaled
liver on right side II. pharynx (throat) passageway for air, leads to
trachea
Pleura III. larynx the voice box, where vocal
chords are located
• The outer surface of each lung and the IV. trachea tube from pharynx to bronchi
adjacent internal thoracic wall are lined by a (windpipe) rings of cartilage provide
serous membrane called pleura. structure, keeps the windpipe
• The outer surface of each lung is tightly "open"
covered by the visceral pleura. trachea is lined with fine hairs
• while the internal thoracic walls, the lateral called cilia which filter air before
surfaces of the mediastinum, and the it reaches the lungs
V. bronchi two branches at the end of the
superior surface of the diaphragm are lined
trachea, each lead to a lung
by the parietal pleura. VI. bronchioles a network of smaller branches
• The parietal and visceral pleural layers are leading from the bronchi into the
continuous at the hilus of each lung lung tissue & ultimately to air
sacs
Pleural Cavities VII. alveoli the functional respiratory units in
the lung where gases (oxygen &
• The potential space between the serous carbon dioxide) are exchanged
membrane layers is a pleural cavity. (enter & exit the blood stream)
• The pleural membranes produce a thin,
serous pleural fluid that circulates in the
Malfunctions & Diseases of the Respiratory
pleural cavity and acts as a lubricant, System
ensuring minimal friction during breathing.
• Pleural effusion – pleuritis with too much asthma severe allergic reaction
fluid characterized by the
constriction of bronchioles
Lobes of the Lungs
bronchitis inflammation of the lining of
• The right lung has three lobes. the bronchioles
• The left lung has two lobes. emphysema condition in which the alveoli
• Each lobe is composed of lobules deteriorate, causing the lungs
to lose their elasticity
• that contain air passages, alveoli, nerves,
pneumonia condition in which the alveoli
• blood vessels, lymphatic vessels,
become filled with fluid,
• and connective tissues. preventing the exchange of
gases
lung cancer irregular & uncontrolled
growth of tumors in the lung
tissue