Anatomy and Physiology of

the lung
Presented by

Mr. G.Suvatharsan

Bsc (Hons) in Nursing, (Post

Registration)

Lincoln University College of

Malasia
Learning outcomes

At the end of this session, student will be able to:

Describe the pulmonary blood supply and nerve

supply to interior of the lung

Explain briefly the respiratory cycle: inspiration, expiration and pause

Describe briefly oxygen is inhaled & released from the lungs to

the blood

Briefly explain the terminology of tidal volumes , dead space ,

anatomic dead space , residual volume and inspiratory
capacity
Parts of the lung
Pleura and pleural cavity

Lung

Bronchi

Bronchioles

Alveoli
The lower respiratory tract
Lung
Right and left lungs
in thoracic cavity,

Divided :Apex, Base,

Costal surface and
Medial surface

Right lung three lobes

Left lung - two lobes

 Right lung
Inferior lobe
Superior lobe
Middle lobe

Left lung
Inferior lobe
Superior lobe
Apex
This is rounded and rises into the root of neck, about 25 cm above middle
third of clavicle.

Base
Concave and semilunar in shape ,and lies on the thoracic surface
of the diaphragm

Costal surface
Convex and lies against the costal cartilages, ribs and
intercostal cartilage
Medial surface
concave and has roughly triangular shaped area,called hilum

At the level of the 5th ,6th and 7th T vertebrae.

Structure from root of the lung enter and leave at the hilum

Mediastinum occupied the heart, great vessels, trachea, right and left
bronchi, oesophagus, lymph nodes, lymph vessels and nerves

Pulmonary artery ,two pulmonary veins , bronchial artery, lymphatic and

nerve supply
Pleura and pleural
cavity
Epithelial cell membrane

Covered the lung and chest wall

Pleura-two layers

parietal and visceral

Between the layer - serous fluid

( moist , prevent from micro
organisms and smoothly breathing)
Bronchi

Trachea divides two bronchi at T

5th

Right bronchus- wider , shorter

and more vertical ,

obstructed, and 2.5 cm long,

three lobes

Left bronchus- 5 cm long ,

narrow than right, two lobes
Bronchi structure

Lined, ciliated columner epithelium

Sub divided into bronchioles, terminal bronchioles, respiratory

bronchioles, alveoli ducts and alveoli

Changes gradually to non- ciliated cuboidal shape cells in distal

bronchioles

Responsive to autonomic nerve & irritation

Blood , nerve & lymph supply to the bronchi

Right- azygos vein

Left superior intercosal vein

Vagus nerve-broncho constraction and dialatation in smooth muscle

Lymph drained from wall of the air passage in a network of lymph

vessels
Function of bronchi

Control of air entry by parasympathetic

Warming and humidifying,

Support and patency

Removal of particulate matter

Cough reflex
Bronchiole structure

Ciliated columnar

Distal bronchiole- non ciliated cuboidal shape

Responsive to autonomic nerve & irritation

 Nerve supply to bronchioles

Parasympathetic bronchoconstruction

Sympathetic- bronchodilatation

Function of bronchiole

Defence against microbes

Warming & humidifying

Prevent dryness
Alveoli
About 150 million alveoli in
adult lung

Simple squamous epithelial

cells in alveoli & alveoli duct

Surrounding dense network of

capillaries for gas exchange
Function of alveoli

Gas exchange inhaled oxygen & exhaled carbon dioxide

Defense against microbes

Warming and humidifying

Prevent dryness infection

OXYGEN IS INHALED AND
RELEASED FROM THE LUNGS
TO THE BLOOD
Air reaches the alveoli (air sacs) where oxygen
then moves from the air sacs into the capillaries
through their thin walls.

Capillaries are tiny blood vessels that carry

oxygenated blood to the blood stream that supplies
our body.

Carbon dioxides is released from to the lungs and

exhaled.
Carbon dioxide moves from capillaries (tiny blood
vessels) into the alveoli.

Too much carbon dioxide in the blood result from

hypoventilation (too little breathing).

Too little carbon dioxide in the blood result from

hyperventilation(too much/ rapid breathing)

DLCO is your Diffusion Rate and is measured during

pulmonary function testing. It measures how much
oxygen is diffusing (moving) from your lungs into your
blood. Normal diffusion rates are 80-120%
Oxygen is inhaled and released
from the lungs to the blood
Oxygen gas exchange
Lung volume and capacities

Tidal volume
Inspiration or expiration air volume in each breathing( about 500)

Inspiratory reserve volume

Maximum volume of inspiration

Inspiratory capacity
Tidal volume plus inspiratory reserved volume

Functional residual capacity

Volume of air remaining in air passage & alveoli of quite inspiration
Expiratory reserve volume
Largest volume of maximal expiration

Residual volume
Volume remaining in lungs after forced
expiration

Vital capacity
Maximum volume of moved into and out of
lungs
 Muscle of breathing

Normal quite breathing

Inter costal muscle & diaphragm

Difficulty in breathing
Muscle of neck, abdomen and shoulder
 Inter costal muscle

11 pairs inter costal muscle between 12 pairs ribs in each side

There are two layer inter costal muscle

1.external inter costal muscle fibres

2.internal inter costal muscle fibres

Inhalation and Exhalaion
 Diaphragm

Dome shaped,

Separating the thoracic and abdominal

cavity,

Phrenic nerve supply

Cycle of breathing

Inspiration
Expiration
Pause

Normal respiratory rate for adult-12 -15 /min

Child respiratory rate changing with their age
 Thank you
Mr .G. Suvatharsan