We explain what the respiratory system is and its different functions. Also, the organs that make it up and their diseases.
What is the respiratory system?
It is known as respiratory system or respiratory system to the set of organs and ducts in the body of living beings that allow them to exchange gases with the environment where they are located. In that sense, the structure of this system and its mechanisms can vary enormously depending on the habitat in which it lives.
The name of the system comes from the fact that it allows respiration: the entry of air into the body of animals, from which oxygen is extracted, and the subsequent expulsion of carbon dioxide (CO2) whose presence in the body would be harmful.
In this sense, the respiratory system is complemented by the circulatory since the latter carries oxygen in the blood to the confines of the body and returns CO2 to the lungs to prevent it from modifying the body's pH. Breathing consists of two stages: inhalation (air in) and exhalation (air out).
Unlike human beings, certain animals have respiratory systems that do not involve lungs but gills to breathe underwater or cutaneous breathing mechanisms (through the skin).
See also: Circulatory system
Functions of the respiratory system
The basic function of the respiratory system is, as its name indicates, breathing or ventilation. This is, as we explained before, the entry into the body of a volume of air from the atmosphere, from which oxygen will be passively extracted, an essential element for the oxidation of glucose that gives energy to our body. And at the same time, the system allows the expulsion of carbon dioxide resulting from said process.
Organs of the respiratory system
The human respiratory system is made up of the following parts:
- Nostrils. The holes in the nose, where everything begins. Air penetrates through them, filtered by a series of villi and mucous membranes that prevent access to solid waste and other non-gaseous elements.
- Pharynx. The connection between the nasal passages, the oral cavity and the esophagus and larynx, contains defensive mucous membranes and is located in the neck.
- Larynx Duct that connects the pharynx with the trachea and lungs, and in which are located both the vocal cords, the glottis (bell bell) and a series of muscles that, in case of obstruction, act by reflex, clearing the path.
- Windpipe. The final section of the duct, which connects the larynx and the lungs. It has a set of C-shaped cartilages that keep the canal open against external compression.
- Lungs. The main organs of respiration are two large sacs that are filled with air and allow gas exchange between air and blood. To do this, they have bronchi (air ducts to the bronchioles), bronchioles (narrower ducts between the bronchi and the alveoli) and finally, the pulmonary alveoli (even narrower ducts, with a single-celled wall, that allows oxygen to pass through. blood).
- Intercostal muscles A series of muscles in the chest that mobilize it during breathing.
- Diaphragm. The muscle that separates the abdomen from the thorax is responsible for inhalation and exhalation: it contracts and lowers, expanding the rib cage. Then it relaxes and rises, compressing the vise and releasing the air.
- Pleura. A serous membrane that covers the two lungs and maintains a cavity between its two layers (internal and external), whose pressure is lower than that of the atmosphere, to allow the expansion of the lungs during inhalation.
Respiratory system diseases
The respiratory system is susceptible to diseases such as
- Cancer Due to the recurrent presence of toxic gases dissolved in the atmosphere in the lungs, if not from the smoke inhaled by smokers (and those around them), it is possible to develop malignant tumors in the lungs.
- Colds. The most common disease of the respiratory tract is due to the presence of viruses in the upper (external) stages of the system, which is why they are fought by the mucous membranes through sneezing, secretions, fever, etc.
- Infections. The presence of bacteria in the respiratory tract, either in the upper stages (pharyngitis, laryngitis) or in the lungs (pneumonia or pneumonia) usually requires treatment with antibiotics and rest, as it causes fatigue and decreased breathing efficiency.
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Very common among smokers and mining workers, it is a disease in which the alveolar ducts of the lungs become progressively and usually irreversible obstructed, leading to a loss of respiratory capacity and drastically shortening life.
