What Is the Function of the Respiratory System?

Respiratory System (Respiratory System), a collective term for a series of organs that exchange gas between the human body and the outside air, including the nose, throat, throat, trachea, bronchi and lungs consisting of a large number of alveoli, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerves, and pleura organization. The nose, pharynx, and throat are often referred to as the upper respiratory tract in clinical practice, and the part of the gas passage below the trachea (including the bronchial tubes at all levels in the lung) is called the lower respiratory tract.

Respiratory System (Respiratory System), a collective term for a series of organs that exchange gas between the human body and the outside air, including the nose, throat, throat, trachea, bronchi and lungs consisting of a large number of alveoli, blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerves, and pleura organization. The nose, pharynx, and throat are often referred to as the upper respiratory tract in clinical practice, and the part of the gas passage below the trachea (including the bronchial tubes at all levels in the lung) is called the lower respiratory tract.

Chinese name

Respiratory system

Foreign name

Respiratory System

Biological composition

Respiratory tract, lung

treatment method

Negative Ion Therapy

Respiratory system physiological function and structural characteristics

In the respiratory system, each organ has a certain division of labor. The bronchus from the nose to the various levels is responsible for transmitting gas. The nasal cavity has the functions of warming, moistening, and cleaning the air. It can also resonate during pronunciation.

The pharynx is a muscular tube. The upper part communicates with the nasal cavity and oral cavity, and the lower part communicates with the throat and trachea. It is a common channel for food and gas. The trachea consists of more than a dozen C shaped cartilage rings and smooth muscles in between. The cartilage keeps the trachea open and keeps the air flowing. Smooth muscle can change the diameter of the trachea, which is conducive to the expansion of the esophagus behind it and facilitates the downward flow of food. There are glands in the trachea and bronchial mucosa, which can secrete mucus containing a variety of immunoglobulins (antibodies), and have antibacterial and antiviral effects. Moreover, the surface of mucosal epithelial cells has cilia, which can continuously swing toward the throat. Move the dusty mucus up, and finally cough out of the body to form sputum. Sputum contains a lot of bacteria and viruses, so don't spit and pollute the environment.

The larynx is a special part of the respiratory tract and has the function of pronunciation.

The lung is the most important organ in the respiratory system. Adult lungs contain between 300 million and 300 million alveoli. It is a branch of bronchioles that is repeatedly branched. Its wall is thin and consists of a single layer of epithelial cells. The outer bread surrounds the capillary network and is the place for gas exchange. The chest cavity expands and contracts rhythmically, called breathing exercise, which relies on the contraction and relaxation of the respiratory muscles. Respiratory rhythm is controlled by the central nervous system. Diaphragm is the most important breathing muscle. It is located between the chest cavity and abdominal cavity. It increases the diameter of the chest cavity when contracted, and produces inhalation and exhalation when it relaxes. Vital capacity is the amount of gas that you try to exhale after maximal inspiration, reflecting the maximum potential of each lung ventilation. Can be measured with spirometry. The air volume of the left and right lungs of healthy adult men is about 5000-6500ml, and women are smaller than men.

The structural feature of the respiratory system is that bone or cartilage is used as a stent. When the gas enters and exits, the wall of the respiratory tract will not collapse, making the air flow smoothly. There are three protective barriers in the entire respiratory tract. First, nose hair blocks bacteria, viruses and dust from entering the respiratory tract; second, mucus secreted by tracheal epithelial cells sticks the dust and expels it with the cilia of the mucosal epithelium; third, there is a cell in the alveoli that Consume dust from the alveoli. Through these three barriers, the exchanged gas is guaranteed to be clean. The human body uses the respiratory system to exchange gas with the outside world. Air enters the alveoli from the respiratory tract. Oxygen in the air enters the blood from the alveoli into the blood in the capillaries and is sent throughout the body for circulation by tissue cells. At the same time, carbon dioxide produced by tissue metabolism is transported to the lungs through the blood circulation and is excreted from the body through the respiratory system.

Causes of clinical diseases of the respiratory system

Respirable particulate matter (PM10) accounts for a small proportion of the global atmosphere, but it has important impacts on the environment, climate, and human health, so it has attracted much attention. Due to the small particle size and large specific surface area of inhalable particles, it has strong adsorptive capacity and can easily become a carrier for various toxic substances in the air. Particulate matter is inhaled into the lungs, and some remain in the blood, causing respiratory diseases such as colds, asthma, upper respiratory infections, pneumonia, and bronchitis.

A large number of studies have shown that temperature is one of the most important factors affecting respiratory diseases, and the relationship between temperature and death or morbidity of the population shows a J-shaped or U-shaped distribution characteristic. The death or morbidity is the least when the temperature is relatively suitable, but with the The number of deaths increased or decreased with increasing temperature. In addition to the health effects of temperature, the humidity in the environment also plays an important role in the occurrence and development of respiratory diseases. When the human body is exposed to extreme humidity, it will also increase the risk of death from respiratory diseases.