Importance of the Respiratory System

Roberta Alessandra Pedrasoli
Degree in Biomedicine

Through the respiratory system we absorb the air necessary for the functioning of the organs, which is extremely important, since the body would survive just a few minutes if it did not receive oxygen, that is, its main and vital function falls on the breathing process.

The act of breathing (inhaling and exhaling) itself has a series of benefits not necessarily related to the respiratory system, in which it stands out that, like any system, is made up of a series of organs and tissues where each one has its function to contribute to the functioning of the organism.

Although all terrestrial vertebrates have lungs, that is, they carry out the respiration process (including some amphibians and reptiles) which makes the respiratory system important for the maintenance of life of a large part of the beings in the nature, each one of them has its anatomical and physiological peculiarities, even when the final objective is the same: to obtain oxygen. Therefore, in this article our focus is the human being.

respiratory system anatomy

Didactically, we can divide the respiratory system into three main parts:

– Conducting part: nose, nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi.

– Respiratory part: Lungs.

– Thoracic part: diaphragm, intercostal muscles, abdominal muscles and ribcage.

These structures can also be divided into upper and lower airways, noting that this classification is given by the anatomic position (outside and inside the ribcage).

Principal functions

Each structure of the respiratory system plays an important role, starting with the upper lanes:

Smell

Through the nose we draw air into our body and, passing through the nasal cavity, the cells olfactory cells capture the different aromas suspended in the air and carry this information to the cells nervous. Although smell does not interfere with gas exchange, it is very important for quality of life and is considered one of the five senses humans. Feeling pleasant smells whets our appetite or gives us pleasure, in the same way that strong smells make us aware that something is wrong. In addition, it is related to taste and is essential to distinguish the flavors of food.

Protection

The air we breathe is full of potentially harmful particles such as dust, mold, bacteria, fungi and viruses, yet despite breathing these substances, the respiratory system is a sterile environment below the tracheal carina through which noxious elements rarely pass, thanks to defense mechanisms present. Our first protection is the hairs of the nose that, despite being criticized aesthetically, act as a barrier retaining small particles at the entrance. However, smaller particles can get through, in which case the barrier will be made up of the mucus lining the nasal passages. Shortly after we find hair cells that, in addition to stimulating the production of mucosa, have the presence of cilia whose movements carry these substances to the throat region for elimination (spitting or swallow). Further down, in the alveoli, we find macrophage cells that act by engulfing any particle that is deposited there.

We cannot forget that the immune function of cells is also activated in the presence of a threat, producing antibodies with antiviral and antibacterial activity.

Heating and Humidification

To be in ideal conditions for the human body, the air becomes humid in contact with the mucus present in the nostrils and warms up at the same time. body temperature by the blood vessels present throughout the route.

Voice

The respiratory system helps the production of sounds through the vocal cords present in the larynx, that is, it has an important role in our main form of communication. The tone of voice produced is directly related to the size and/or thickness of the vocal cords, the low tones being produced by short, thick notes, and the high tones by long, thick strings. thin. The volume of our voice is related to the force we exert when we inhale and exhale.

Acid-base homeostasis

The balance between acids and bases in the blood, that is, the pH, is regulated by the respiratory system. In the presence of high concentrations of carbon dioxide, the blood becomes acidic and consequently the pH decreases. As an automatic response mechanism, our lungs increase the respiratory rate by exhaling carbon dioxide and inhaling oxygen until the pH returns to normal.

gas exchange

The most important function of the respiratory system is gas exchange. It takes oxygen from the external environment and transports it to the cells of the body and removes waste gases, mainly carbon dioxide, produced by the cellular metabolism.

We can say that gas exchange occurs at three levels: between the external environment and the respiratory organs; between cells and body fluids; and the use of oxygen in the cellular respiration.

In short, we breathe air containing oxygen that travels through the conducting airways until it reaches the lungs. Simultaneously, our heart is pumping back to the lungs the venous blood that has passed through the different tissues of the body. This carbon dioxide-laden blood passes through the pulmonary alveoli, performs gas exchange (known as pulmonary hematosis) and leaves the arteries loaded with oxygen that is distributed back to the tissues. During exhalation, this carbon dioxide is received by the lungs and expelled from the body.

Conditions and respiratory system

Being a complex system that directly or indirectly affects various parts of our body, any A problem that affects the respiratory system can affect our mood and our quality of life. This is because poor oxygenation of the cells can cause tiredness that affects the ability to perform routine tasks.

In a generic way, the most common and habitual diseases are flu and colds that, well treated, do not evolve negatively to the point of compromising the lungs.

Tobacco, on the other hand, causes an imbalance in the absorption/expulsion of toxic gases and in the long term it can lead to serious problems, such as cancer.

On the other hand, allergies such as asthma, bronchitis, rhinitis are directly related to an external stimulus and, although it is theoretically possible to avoid it, it affects constantly improve the quality of life of his patients, who can have a crisis if they are exposed to air conditioning, come into contact with animal hair or dust, among other agents.

Understanding the value of the respiratory system for the health of the individual is essential for those who want a healthy body and mind.

Reference bibliography

– Book: The Respiratory System: Basic science and clinical conditions – by Andrew Davies and Carl Moores

– The Human Respiratory System (pp 13-22)

– Pulmonary Physiology

– The respiratory system in connective tissue disorders