Respiratory System/3

Physical principles of gas exchange

• Dr. Ayssar Tashtush

• Department of Physiology &
Biochemistry
• Email: [email protected]
 Pulmonary Ventilation
üThe volume of air breathed in and out in 1 minute
üAdjusts to meet the body’s changing oxygen needs by:
ü The volume of air moved per breath (tidal volume)
ü The number of breaths per minute (respiratory rate)
12-18 breaths/minute
Ø Pulmonary Ventilation= respiratory rate per min * tidal volume
(ml/min (breaths/min) (ml/breath)

6000 ml/min = 12 *500

 Pulmonary Ventilation
Tidal volume = volume of air
moved into and out of lungs in a
normal breath.
v Inhalation
ü - Intrapulmonary pressure <
atmospheric pressure.
ü Negative intrapulmonary pressure
pulls air into the lungs.
v Exhalation
ü Intrapulmonary pressure >
atmospheric pressure.
ü Positive intrapulmonary pressure
pushes air out of the lungs
 Dead Space
ØNot all inspired air gets down to the alveoli (gas
exchange site) Not all inspired air
ØAir that not participates in respiration (150 ml):
üAnatomical dead space (no alveoli → no gas
exchange):
vTrachea
v Bronchial tree
v Non-respiratory terminal
ü Alveolar dead space
 Alveolar Ventilation

ü Alveolar Ventilation: the volume of air exchanged

between the atmosphere and the alveoli per minute
ü Alveolar ventilation = (tidal volume – dead space volume)
× respiratory rate
ü Alveolar ventilation = (500 ml/breath – 150 ml dead space
volume ) × 12 breaths/min = 4200 ml/min
 Gas Mixture- Partial Pressures
üThe respiratory gases include O2, N2, CO2

üEach gas in the mixture contributes to the

total pressure in proportion to its
concentration

ü Individual gas pressure is proportional

to the concentration of gas molecules in
the mixture
ü The individual pressure exerted
independently by a particular gas within a
mixture of gases is known as its partial
pressure
ü The summation of partial pressure in a
mixture of individual gases = total
pressure of the mixture
 Gas Mixture- Composition of Air
DALTONS LAW:
ü Summation of total partial pressure of Gases =
760 mm Hg
üThe total pressure of air mixture is 760 mm Hg

• it is composed mainly of:

• 79% nitrogen & 21% oxygen

• Nitrogen partial pressure

• 79% Of 760 mm Hg=600 mm Hg

• Oxygen partial pressure

• 21% of 760 mmHg = 160 mmHg
 Alveolar Air Composition
• Alveolar air does not have same gas
concentrations as atmospheric air composition
• Differences occur because:
1. As air enters respiratory passages it becomes
humidified diluting the inspired gases partial
pressures
2. Alveolar air is partially replaced by atmospheric
air during each breath
3. Oxygen constantly absorbed into blood from
alveoli
4. Carbon dioxide diffused into alveoli from blood
 Gas Exchange

üGases move down partial pressure

gradients
ü Partial pressure gradient: difference
in partial pressure between the
capillary blood and the surrounding
structures
1. Between the capillary blood and
alveolar air
2. Between the systemic capillary blood
and the surrounding tissues
 Gas Diffusion
ü Diffusion: the random motion of molecules in all directions through the respiratory
membrane and adjacent fluids.
üFor diffusion to occur these factors must be done:
1. A source of energy is provided by the kinetic motion of the molecules.
2. A constant temperature

üNet Diffusion of a Gas in One Direction

Alveolar Air is Slowly Renewed by Atmospheric Air

üMultiple breaths are required to exchange most of the alveolar air

üThe slow replacement of alveolar air is particularly important in preventing
sudden changes in gas concentrations in the blood.
 Diffusion Rate
üTransfer of gases across the alveolar-capillary membrane occurs by passive
diffusion

üDiffusion is governed by Fick’s law

ü Fick's Law essentially states that the rate of diffusion of a gas across a permeable membrane is determined by
the chemical nature of the membrane itself, the surface area of the membrane, the partial pressure gradient
of the gas across the membrane, and the thickness of the membrane

üFactors determine how rapidly the gas will pass through the membrane:

1. Thickness of membrane 2. Surface area of membrane

3. Diffusion coefficient 4. Partial pressure gradient

 Respiratory membrane
1. Alayer of fluid containing surfactant that lines the
alveolus and reduces the surface tension of the
alveolar fluid.
2. The alveolar epithelium, which is composed of thin
epithelial cells.
3. An alveolar basement membrane.
4. A thin interstitial space between the alveolar
epithelium and the capillary membrane.
5. A capillary basement membrane that in many places
fuses with the alveolar epithelial basement
membrane.
6. The capillary endothelial membrane.
 Respiratory membrane
üDespite the large number of layers, the overall thickness
of the respiratory membrane in some areas is as little as
0.2 micrometer and averages about 0.6 micrometer,
except where there are cell nuclei
üThe average diameter of the pulmonary capillaries is
only about 5 micrometers, which means that red blood
cells must squeeze through them
üThe red blood cell membrane usually touches the
capillary wall, so O2 and CO2 need not pass through
significant amounts of plasma as they diffuse between
the alveolus and the red blood cell
üThis increases the rapidity of diffusion
 Diffusion Rate
1. The thickness of the membrane:
üInversely proportional to the rate of diffusion

üIf fluid in the interstitial or alveoli is increased due to pulmonary edema or

some sort of bacteria that increases the permeability of the capillary
membrane
ü fibrotic lung disease increases the thickness in some portions
üThe thickness may increase up to 3-6mm
ü The rate of diffusion decreased
 Diffusion Rate
2. The surface area of the membrane:
üProportional to the rate of diffusion

üIn Emphysema the wall of the alveoli is coalesce dissolution, so you have one big alveoli
but the surface area is less.
üIn smokers or cancer patient or even genetic abnormalities the neutrophils produce an
elastase that degrades the alveoli wall
üSo decreased total surface area leads to impairment of gas exchange.
 Diffusion Rate
3. Diffusion coefficient:
üInversely proportional to gas molecular weight
• Example (Theory):
• If the molecular weight of the gas is higher, the density is higher, and the rate of diffusion
is less (in carbon dioxide)
• Because O2 has a lower molecular weight than CO2, it could be expected to diffuse across
the respiratory membrane about 1.2 times faster

• Gas solubility in the membrane

ü CO2 diffuses more rapidly than O2

ü O2 diffuses more rapidly than N2

 Diffusion Rate
4. Partial pressure gradient:
üIs the difference in the partial pressure of
the gas in the alveoli and the partial
pressure of the gas in the pulmonary
capillary blood

üA measure of the total number of molecules

of a particular gas striking a unit area of the
alveolar surface of the membrane in unit
time
 Solubility
• HENRY'S LAW:
• The amount of gases to dissolve in a liquid depends on:
üSolubility:
• Gas must be soluble in liquid to diffuse through the liquid

§ CO2 is 20 times more soluble than O2 in water

§ CO2 diffuses 20 times more rapidly than O2

§ The difference in PCO2 between the two sides of the alveolar-capillary membrane is 10
times smaller than that for PO2
ü Temperature: as the temperature of liquid rises, solubility decreases
 Gas Exchange

Rate of net diffusion is determined by

the difference of partial pressures :
ü If partial pressure of gas in alveoli >
blood, then gas moves into blood
(oxygen)
ü If partial pressure of gas in blood >
alveoli, then gas moves into alveoli
(carbon dioxide)
 Gas Exchange

1-Alveolar PO2 is high , alveolar PCO2 is low

a portion of the alveolar air is exchanged for fresh
atmospheric air with each breath

2- Systemic venous blood entering the lungs is

relatively low in O2 and high in CO2

Give up O2 and pick up CO2 at the systemic

capillary level
 Gas Exchange

After leaving the lungs:

ü The blood has a PO2 of 100 mm Hg and a
PCO2 of 40 mm Hg, is returned to the heart
and then pumped out to the body tissues
 Gas Exchange

1. PO2 is relatively low, and PCO2 is high in

tissue cells
2. Passive movement of O2 out of the blood
into cells to support their metabolic
requirements
3. CO2 moves into the blood
7
Gas Exchange
 Diffusion Capacity of the Respiratory Membrane
The volume of a gas will diffuse through the membrane each minute for a partial pressure difference of 1 mm Hg.
Oxygen:
ü A total of about 230 milliliters of oxygen diffusing through the respiratory membrane each minute, which is equal
to the rate at which the resting body uses O2.
Increased Oxygen Diffusing Capacity during Exercise:
ü 715ml (More than three folds than normal)
ü The pulmonary blood flow increased, the ventilation increased, so the oxygen diffusing capacity will increase this
was established by:
1. Reopening of dormant pulmonary capillary
2. Dilating of pre existing pulmonary capillary
3. Matching the V/Q ratio.

•
 Diffusion Capacity of the Respiratory Membrane
Diffusing Capacity for Carbon Dioxide:

üThe diffusing capacity for CO2 has never been

measured because CO2 diffuses through the
respiratory membrane so rapidly that the average
PCO2 in the pulmonary blood is not far different from
the PCO2 in the alveoli the average difference is less
than 1 mm Hg.
üBecause the diffusion coefficient of CO2 is slightly
more than O2, one would expect a diffusing capacity
for CO2 under resting conditions of about 400 to 450
ml/min/mm Hg and during exercise of about 1200 to
1300 ml/min/mm H.
THANK YOU