Respiration I

Gas Exchange Systems

The tracheal gas exchange system of insects

Spiracles in the abdomen open to allow gas exchange and close to limit water loss. Spiracles open into tracheae, that branch to tracheoles, that end in air capillaries. Diffusion distance only a few uM

The tracheal gas exchange system of insects

Tracheae branch into tracheole and end in air capillaries

Insects are forced to be small

Since there is no circulatory system in insects, insects are forced to be small. It they are too big, it would take forever to diffuse O2 to mitochondria inside cells.

Bulk flow is done in bigger tubes

Bulk flow is done in bigger tubes

Diffusion only takes place in destination (Alveolus)

Diffusion only takes place in destination (Capillaries)

interstitial uid

cell cytoplasm

blood

CO2 O2 cell in tissue glucose

Perform the ultimate function of the cardiovascular system Permeate almost every tissue (most cells < 0.1 mm from capillary wall) Very thin wall consists of porous endothelial cells. Nutrients and gases move in and out via diffusion.

Flow is influenced by flow mechanics

Flow between two points is proportional to pressure difference between two points

Resistance is the measure of the friction that impedes flow

Keep radius as big as possible

Design of the system

To maintain flow, you need to have a system with low and and high konductance, You dont want to generate larger pressure, then you need to have large muscle

Design of system

An analogy: fire hydrant

Why big tubes in bulk flow?

Diffusion takes in terminal bronchiole

Geometry of the blood vessels in the mesentery of the dog

Kind of vessel Diameter (mm) 10 3 1 0.02 0.008 0.03 2 6 12.5 Total cross-sectional area (cm2) 1 0.8 40 3 2,400 5 40,000,000 125 1,200,000,000 80,000,000 2,400 40 1 600 570 30 11 1.2 Number

Aorta Large arteries Arterial branches Arterioles Capillaries Venules Veins Large Veins Vena cava

From: Animal Physiology, 5th Edition, Schmidt-Nielsen

Blood pressure, velocity and total cross area

The Respiratory System of a bird

How birds breath

Anterior air sacs Trachea Lungs Lungs Air Air

Posterior air sacs

Air tubes (parabronchi) in lung INHALATION Air sacs fill

Air sacs empty; lungs fill

1 mm

EXHALATION

Ficks law of diffusion applies to all gas exchange systems.

Some sample calculations

Relationship between gas content in liquid, partial pressure and gas solubility in liquid

Henrys law for concentrations of dissolved gas in solution

Cx= Px X solubility
Px = partial pressure of gas (mmHg) Solubility: solubility of gas in blood (mL gas/100mL blood/mmHg)

Oxygen transport in blood

Oxygen transport in blood

Forms of O2 in blood: Dissolved and bound Dissolved O2: accounts for around 2% of the total O2 content of blood The dissolved form is the only form that produces a partial pressure which in turn drives O2 diffusion. The concentration of dissolved O2 is proportional to the partial pressure of O2 and its solubility in blood O2 bound to hemoglobin: the remaining 98% of the total O2 content of blood is reversibly bound to hemoglobin in red blood cell.

Oxygen content

Causes of shift to the right and to the left

O2 movement in the lungs and tissues

O2 binding capacity,O2 content and O2 delivery

O2 binding capacity: the maximum amount of O2 that can be
bound to hemoglobin per volume of blood, assuming that hemoglobin is 100% saturated ( all four heme group on each molecule of hemoglobin are bound to O2)
Exposing blood to air with very high PO2 so hemoglobin will be 100% saturated, 1g of hemoglobin A can bind 1.34ml O2 and the normal concentration of hemoglobin A in blood is 15g/100mL. The O2 binding capacity of blood is therefore 20.1mLO2/100mLbood (15g/10mL x1.34mLO2/g hemoglobin =20.1mLO2/100mL blood)

O2 content= bound + dissolved O2 delivery to tissues:

O2 content = (O2 binding capacity x % saturation) + dissolved O2 O2 delivery= cardiac output x O2 content of blood = cardiac output x( dissolved O2 + O2 bound to hemoglobin)