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Defenses of the Respiratory System

Defenses of the Respiratory System. Defenses of Respiratory System. Respiratory membrane represents a major source of contact with the environment with a separation of .5 mircrons between the air & the blood over a surface area of 50-100 sq. meters

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Defenses of the Respiratory System

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  1. Defenses of the Respiratory System

  2. Defenses of Respiratory System • Respiratory membrane represents a major source of contact with the environment with a separation of .5 mircrons between the air & the blood over a surface area of 50-100 sq. meters • The average adult inhales about 10000 L air/day • Inert dust • Particulate matter • Plant & animal • Gases • Fossil fuel combustion • Infectious agents • Viruses & bacteria

  3. Defense Mechanisms • Protect tracheobronchial tree & alveoli from injury • Prevent accumulation of secretions • Repair

  4. Depression of Defense Mechanisms Chronic alcohol is associated with an increase incidence of bacterial infections Cigarette smoke and air pollutants is associated with an increase incidence of chronic bronchitis and emphysema Occupational irritants is associated with and increased incidence of hyperactive airways or interstitial pulmonary fibrosis

  5. Upper respiratory tract • Nasal passages protect airways and alveolar structures from inhaled foreign materials • Long hairs (vibrassae) in nose (nares) filters out larger particles • Mucous coating the nasal mucous membranes traps particles (>10 microns) • Moisten air – 650 ml H2O/day • Nasal turbinates • Highly vascularized, act as radiators to warm air

  6. Cough • Cough • From trachea to alveoli sensitive to irritants • Afferents utilize primarily CN X • Process • 2.5 L of air rapidly inspired • Epiglottis closes and vocal chords close tightly • muscles of expiration contract forcefully which causes pressure in lungs to rise to 100 mm Hg • Epiglottis and vocal chords open widely which results in explosive outpouring of air to clear larger airways at speeds of 75 – 100 MPH

  7. Sneeze • Sneeze reflex • Associated with nasal passages • Irritation sends signal over CN V to the medulla • Response similar to cough, but in addition uvula is depressed so large amounts of air pass rapidly through the nose to clear nasal passages • With sneeze and cough velocity of air escaping from the mouth & nose has been clocked at speeds of 75-100 MPH

  8. Mucociliary elevator • Clears smaller airways • Mucous produced by globlet cells in epithelium and small submucosal glands • Ciliated epithelium which lines the respiratory tract all the way down to the terminal bronchioles moves the mucous to the pharynx • Beat 1000 X/minute • Mucous flows at about speed of 1 cm/min • Swallowed or coughed out

  9. Immune reaction in the lung • Alveolar macrophages • Capable of phagocytosing intraluminal particles • Antibodies associated with the mucosa • IgG- lower respiratory tract • IgA- dominate in upper respiratory tract • IgE- predominantly a mucosal antibody

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