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WCU Respiratory Syst
Respiratory System key terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| alveoli | the respiratory sac, the smallest unit of the lungs, where gas exchange occurs |
| asthma | disorder characterized by recurrent and reversible episodes of bronchospasm (i.e., bronchial muscle spasm leading to narrowed or obstructed airways) |
| atelectasis | collapse of once-expanded alveoli |
| bronchial tree | the conducting airways leading into the alveoli; they branch smaller and smaller, appearing much like a tree |
| chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): | chronic condition that occurs over time; often the result of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and/or refractory asthma; obstruction is not fully reversible |
| cilia | microscopic, hair-like projections of the epithelial cell membrane lining the upper respiratory tract, which are constantly moving and directing the mucus and any trapped substance toward the throat |
| common cold | viral infection of the upper respiratory tract that initiates the release of histamine and prostaglandins and causes an inflammatory response |
| cough | reflex response to irritation in the conducting airways, results in expelling of forced air through the mouth |
| cystic fibrosis | a hereditary disease that results in the accumulation of copious amounts of thick secretions in the lungs, which will eventually lead to obstruction of the airways and destruction of the lung tissue |
| larynx | the vocal chords and the epiglottis, which close during swallowing to protect the lower respiratory tract from any foreign particles |
| lower respiratory tract | the bronchi and the alveoli that make up the lungs; the area where gas exchange takes place |
| pharynx | the membrane-lined cavity that is behind the mouth and nose and before the esophagus and larynx |
| pneumonia | inflammation of the lungs that can be caused by bacterial or viral invasion of the tissue or by aspiration of foreign substances |
| pneumothorax | air in the pleural space exerting high pressure against the alveoli |
| respiration | the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide at the alveoli and capillary |
| respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) | disorder found in premature neonates whose lungs have not had time to mature and who are lacking sufficient surfactant to maintain open airways to allow for respiration |
| respiratory membrane | area through which gas exchange must be made; made up of the capillary endothelium, the capillary basement membrane, the interstitial space, the alveolar basement membrane, the alveolar endothelium, and the surfactant layer |
| seasonal rhinitis | inflammation of the nasal cavity, commonly called hay fever; caused by reaction to a specific antigen |
| sinuses | air-filled passages through the skull that open into the nasal passage |
| sinusitis | inflammation of the epithelial lining of the sinus cavities |
| sneeze | reflex response to irritation to receptors in the nares, resulting in expelling of forced air through the nose |
| surfactant | lipoprotein that reduces surface tension in the alveoli, allowing them to stay open to allow gas exchange |
| trachea | the main conducting airway leading into the lungs |
| upper respiratory tract | the nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx, and trachea—the conducting airways where no gas exchange occurs |
| ventilation | the movement of gases in and out of the lungs |
Created by:
MakiyahBuckley
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