1. NESCAUM Health Effects Workshop, Bordentown, NJ
Physiology 101
NESCAUM Health Effects Workshop, Bordentown, NJ
Joann Held
July 29, 2008

2. VENTILATION: The process of moving air in & out of the lungs
Tidal Volume: Volume of air entering or leaving the lungs during a single breath
Vital Capacity: Tidal volume + Inhalation reserve + Expiration reserve
Residual Volume: What’s left after forced exhalation
Expiration does not empty the lungs completely.
If it did, the alveoli would collapse, and it would take a lot of work and energy to reinflate the lungs.
Also, blood is perpetually circulating through the lungs…
So, even after a very deep exhalation, the lungs remain about one-fifth full of air - an amount called the residual volume.

3. Lung Function Testing A method for evaluating whether
the respiratory system
has been impaired

4. Spirometry Tidal Volume Vital Capacity
FEV1 (Volume of air expired in 1 second)
FVC (Forced Vital Capacity)
PEF (Peak Expiratory Flow)
Spirometry is the classic pulmonary function test,
which measures the volume of air inspired or expired
as a function of time. It can monitor quiet breathing
and thereby measure tidal volume,
And also trace deep inspirations and expirations
to give information about vital capacity.
Spirometry may also be used to measure
forced expiration rates and volumes
and to compute FEV1/FVC ratios.

5. Protective Functions of the Respiratory System
Filtration and Preconditioning
Impaction and Mucus-transport
Pulmonary Clearing

6. Nasopharynx : aka nasopharyngeal or extrathoracic

7. Filtration
Nasal hair and warm, humid conditions of nasal passages act together to remove particles & soluble gases.
Particles absorb moisture as they move through moist air of upper respiratory region, making them larger and causing them to strike walls of throat, nose, etc.
Gases that are very soluble can be absorbed before reaching the lower lung.
Particles are then eliminated by sneezing, coughing, nose-blowing, and spitting, or by the digestive system.

8. Impaction

9. Removal of Smaller Particulate
Branching of the bronchopulmonary tree provides opportunity of impaction
Fine Particulate: Collect in middle part of respiratory system - the tracheobronchial region

10. Particle Deposition

11. Pulmonary Clearance Ultra-fine Particulate & Less Soluble Gases
Collect in the most remote portions of lungs - the alveoli
In the alveoli they may float and then be expelled with the next breath or two; or
They might be captured by phagocytes and eliminated
Phagocytes are in the alveolar epithelium and “eat” invaders.

12. Defense Mechanisms Mucus Membrane Cilia Phagocytes Macrophages
Mucus Membrane: Warms the air & moistens it, in order to protect the bronchiolesand alveoli.
Cilia (whiplike) found in the mucus membranes lining the nasal cavity & trachea tap particles that might irritate delicate lung tissues.
* Alveolar macrophages ingest and destroy invading bacteria and viruses.

13. GAS EXCHANGE Exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide
between alveolar air & lung capillaries
is by diffusion.

14. Beyond the Lungs: Some Examples
DIRECT EFFECTS
Chemical Interactions
Neurological Impacts
INDIRECT EFFECTS
Liver Metabolism
Kidney Metabolism