ATLAND Medical Learning
Respiratory System and Disorders
Nursing Study Notes
Overview of Anatomy and Physiology
Functions of the Respiratory System
1. Oxygen supplier to all the body tissues.
2. Elimination of carbon dioxide
3. Gaseous exchange between the blood and the external environment
4. Passageways that allow air into the lungs
5. Purification, humidification, and warming of the incoming air
Anatomy of the Respiratory System:
Upper Respiratory Tract
a) Nose
Receives filters warm, and humidifies the air entering into the body
1
,b) Nasal Cavity
Has olfactory receptors for the sense of smell
Sticky mucus produced by the mucosa gland moistens the air and traps bacteria and other
foreign debris
c) Sinuses
Paranasal sinuses are located in the frontal, sphenoid, ethmoid, and maxillary bones
d) Pharynx
Has three portions: oropharynx, nasopharynx, and laryngopharynx
e) Larynx (Voice box)
The true vocal cord vibrates with expelled air and allows us to speak
f) Epiglottis
Prevents food from entering the trachea-bronchial tract by closing over the glottis when
swallowing.
Lower Respiratory Tract
2
,a) Trachea (Windpipe)
Lined with ciliated mucosa to propel mucus, loaded with dust particles and other debris
away from the lungs to the throat to be swallowed or spat
b) Main Bronchi
Divide into secondary or lobar bronchi that enter each of the five lobes of the lungs
c) Bronchioles
Have no cartilage and they are kept patent by the elastic recoil of the lungs
d) Alveolar ducts and alveoli
Type II alveolar cells secrete surfactant, a phospholipid protein that reduces the
surface tension in the alveoli, preventing them from collapsing
Alveolar macrophages (‘dust cells’) moves in and out of the alveoli removing bacteria,
carbon particles, and other debris
e) Lungs
Blood circulation in the lungs is via the pulmonary circulation system
Pleural fluid – a slippery serous secretion that allows the lungs to glide easily over
the thorax wall during your breathing
f) Accessory muscles of respiration
The sternocleidomastoid muscles – raise the sternum
Scalene muscles – elevates the first two ribs
The trapezius muscles and pectoralis muscles – fix the shoulders
Physiology of the Respiratory System:
Lung Volumes and Capacities
3
, 4
Respiratory System and Disorders
Nursing Study Notes
Overview of Anatomy and Physiology
Functions of the Respiratory System
1. Oxygen supplier to all the body tissues.
2. Elimination of carbon dioxide
3. Gaseous exchange between the blood and the external environment
4. Passageways that allow air into the lungs
5. Purification, humidification, and warming of the incoming air
Anatomy of the Respiratory System:
Upper Respiratory Tract
a) Nose
Receives filters warm, and humidifies the air entering into the body
1
,b) Nasal Cavity
Has olfactory receptors for the sense of smell
Sticky mucus produced by the mucosa gland moistens the air and traps bacteria and other
foreign debris
c) Sinuses
Paranasal sinuses are located in the frontal, sphenoid, ethmoid, and maxillary bones
d) Pharynx
Has three portions: oropharynx, nasopharynx, and laryngopharynx
e) Larynx (Voice box)
The true vocal cord vibrates with expelled air and allows us to speak
f) Epiglottis
Prevents food from entering the trachea-bronchial tract by closing over the glottis when
swallowing.
Lower Respiratory Tract
2
,a) Trachea (Windpipe)
Lined with ciliated mucosa to propel mucus, loaded with dust particles and other debris
away from the lungs to the throat to be swallowed or spat
b) Main Bronchi
Divide into secondary or lobar bronchi that enter each of the five lobes of the lungs
c) Bronchioles
Have no cartilage and they are kept patent by the elastic recoil of the lungs
d) Alveolar ducts and alveoli
Type II alveolar cells secrete surfactant, a phospholipid protein that reduces the
surface tension in the alveoli, preventing them from collapsing
Alveolar macrophages (‘dust cells’) moves in and out of the alveoli removing bacteria,
carbon particles, and other debris
e) Lungs
Blood circulation in the lungs is via the pulmonary circulation system
Pleural fluid – a slippery serous secretion that allows the lungs to glide easily over
the thorax wall during your breathing
f) Accessory muscles of respiration
The sternocleidomastoid muscles – raise the sternum
Scalene muscles – elevates the first two ribs
The trapezius muscles and pectoralis muscles – fix the shoulders
Physiology of the Respiratory System:
Lung Volumes and Capacities
3
, 4
