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Respiration in Vertebrates. Surface area, perfusion , ventilation - skin, gills or lungs its all the same. What is respiration?. All large animals must have organs to exchange gases with the atmosphere. In the vertebrates there are three main organs. Skin Gills Lungs.
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Respiration in Vertebrates Surface area, perfusion , ventilation - skin, gills or lungs its all the same.
What is respiration? • All large animals must have organs to exchange gases with the atmosphere. In the vertebrates there are three main organs. • Skin • Gills • Lungs
What happens during respiration? • Gases move according to the diffusion gradient. In the air around us or dissolved in water are relatively large amounts of oxygen and a small amount of carbon dioxide. • Diffusion defined is: movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. • Question 1 - what is the gradient? • Question 2 - what causes the gradient?
Give a helping lung - or something • As you now know, oxygen diffuses into tissues because the concentration in the tissues is less. The problem is that large animals cannot survive with only simple diffusion. • How big is too big for diffusion? It depends…. The shark is too big! It can’t live without gills!
How gas exchanges works • Gills, skin and lungs have many things in common. They all must be moist to function, they often have a large thin surface area and have a special blood supply. • Ask yourself why these are requirements of a large animals respiratory system? • Answers ……
Surface area tricks • All gas exchangers increase their effectiveness by increasing their surface area. This often involves folds, wrinkles or sacs - anything that will increase area (but stay thin).
Blood Flow • Blood flow to an organ of respiration can greatly increase the amount of gases exchanged. • Transporting away oxygen and bringing carbon dioxide to the gas exchanger.
Ventilation • Moving the air or water past the respiratory structures greatly increases their effectiveness.
What is a good gas exchanger? • Large surface area, thin epithelium. • Blood supplied to the area (best if it is deoxyenated) • Ventilate the epithelium • Keep the epithelium moist
Why is there carbon dioxide in respirators use to help people recover from respiratory distress? • Why is it important that all gas exchange surfaces be moist? • Which gas causes you to increase your breathing rate? Why - what acid is formed? • Why is it important for runners to have high levels of carbonic anhydrase in their blood? • Why is the mammalian respiratory system superior to that of reptiles and amphibians?