Anatomy Case

The system of the body that controls the breathing process is the respiratory system. The breathing mechanism allows the human system to bring in oxygen and remove the carbon dioxide from the blood stream. The need for oxygen makes the respiratory system a very vital system. The oxygen is very important in maintaining metabolism. Problems with the respiratory system can lead to poor levels of oxygen in the blood, which affect all the organic systems. The lack of oxygen in the human body can lead to heart problems, stroke and cancer. Oxygen is also very important for the integrity of the brain and the internal organs.

The respiratory system has five major functions:

1. The sounds that are used in speaking and other forms of communication are produced by the respiratory system.

2. The respiratory system plays a role in gas exchange across the respiratory membrane between lung cells and blood capillaries.

3. The respiratory system maintains steady state conditions to prevent the respiratory surfaces from temperature changes, dehydration and environmental changes.

4. The respiratory system helps in the detection of olfactory stimuli. The olfactory receptors used for detection are located in the superior portions of the nasal cavity.

5. The respiratory system supplies the exchange process of oxygen between air and blood with a large surface area for faster diffusion rate.

The respiratory functions consist of different parts that all unite to perform respiration. The air is sucked into the body by the nose or the mouth and then moved down to the trachea. This tube, the trachea, then divides into two other tubes called the bronchi, which connect into the lungs where the oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange takes place.