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Related Concept Videos

Breathing01:05

Breathing

The process of breathing, inhaling and exhaling, involves the coordinated movement of the chest wall, the lungs, and the muscles that move them. Two muscle groups with important roles in breathing are the diaphragm, located directly below the lungs, and the intercostal muscles, which lie between the ribs. When the diaphragm contracts, it moves downward, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and creating more room for the lungs to expand. When the intercostal muscles contract, the ribs...
Gross Anatomy of the Lungs01:17

Gross Anatomy of the Lungs

The lungs are a pair of vital organs connected to the trachea via the left and right bronchi. The base of these organs meets the dome-shaped muscle known as the diaphragm. Encased by the pleurae, the lungs contact the mediastinum. The right lung is shorter yet wider, and has a larger volume than the left lung. The left lung has an indentation known as the cardiac notch. The superior region of the lungs is referred to as the apex, whereas the base is the lower region near the diaphragm. The...
The Respiratory System01:16

The Respiratory System

The respiratory system is comprised of the organs that enable breathing. Air enters the nostrils and mouth, followed by the pharynx (throat) and larynx (voice box), which lead to the trachea (windpipe). In the thoracic cavity, the trachea splits into two bronchi that allow air to enter the lungs. The bronchi split into progressively smaller bronchioles and terminate in small groups of tiny sacs in the lungs called alveoli, where gas exchange occurs.
Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation01:17

Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation

In terms of human respiration, the act of expelling air, known as exhalation (or expiration), operates on the principle of pressure gradients. During expiration, the pressure within the lungs exceeds that of the surrounding atmosphere. Under normal conditions, quiet breathing involves passive exhalation and is free of muscular contractions. This is because the exhalation process is driven by the natural elastic recoil of the lungs and chest wall, both of which have an inherent tendency to...
Alveoli and Alveolar Ducts01:26

Alveoli and Alveolar Ducts

The respiratory zone of the human body, which stands in contrast to the conducting zone, comprises the structures that actively participate in the exchange of gases. The initiation of this zone is marked by the terminal bronchioles converging into respiratory bronchioles, the tiniest bronchiole classification. The respiratory bronchioles give way to the alveolar ducts that opens into a congregation of alveoli. Actively involved in gas exchange, alveoli resemble tiny sacs similar to clusters of...
External and Internal Respiration01:24

External and Internal Respiration

External respiration occurs in the lungs, and it is the first step in the journey of oxygen inside the body. When we inhale, oxygen enters our lungs and diffuses across the thin alveolar membrane. The alveoli are tiny, air-filled sacs that provide a vast surface area for gas exchange. Oxygen in the alveoli has a higher partial pressure (105 mmHg) than in the adjacent pulmonary capillaries (40 mmHg), establishing a pressure gradient. As a result, oxygen molecules move from the alveoli into the...

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Structures of pulmonary surfactant films adsorbed to an air-liquid interface in vitro.

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Effects of fixatives on function of pulmonary surfactant.

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Alveolar surface forces and lung architecture.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Efficient Method for Imaging Murine Lungs that Preserves Spatial Dynamics of Fungal Spores in the Airways
10:06

Efficient Method for Imaging Murine Lungs that Preserves Spatial Dynamics of Fungal Spores in the Airways

Published on: December 13, 2024

[Why are the lungs dry?].

H Bachofen1

  • 1Das Deutsche Tuberkulose-Archiv e.V. Liegnitzer Strasse 5, 36100 Petersberg. dr.robert.kropp@gmx.de

Pneumologie (Stuttgart, Germany)
|March 5, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The lung maintains dry airspaces through structural and physiological protective factors. These mechanisms prevent fluid buildup in the delicate lung tissues during breathing.

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Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • Pulmonary Physiology
  • Respiratory System Biology

Context:

  • The lung's thin blood-gas barrier and high perfusion necessitate mechanisms to prevent alveolar flooding.
  • Ventilation requires lung tissue to be deformable, increasing the risk of fluid accumulation.

Purpose:

  • To outline the structural and physiological protective factors that maintain the dryness of peripheral airspaces in the lung.

Summary:

  • Structural factors include low alveolar epithelial permeability, efficient interstitial drainage, and connective tissue acting as fluid reservoirs.
  • Physiological factors involve low pulmonary vascular pressures, high blood colloid-osmotic pressure, and reduced perimicrovascular colloid-osmotic pressure during fluid filtration.
  • Low surface tension from alveolar surfactant minimizes mechanical stress on lung parenchyma.

Impact:

  • Understanding these protective mechanisms is crucial for managing lung edema and respiratory diseases.
  • Highlights the complex interplay of structural and physiological adaptations for maintaining lung function.