Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Overview of Pulmonary Circulation

Overview of Pulmonary Circulation

The pulmonary circulation is a vital system in our body that acts as a bridge between the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. It serves as a transport network for deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs and then returns oxygen-rich blood back to the heart.
The process begins with the right ventricle of the heart pumping deoxygenated blood into the pulmonary trunk. This large vessel extends about 5 centimeters before splitting into the left and right pulmonary arteries. These arteries...

Overview of Systemic and Pulmonary Circulation

Overview of Systemic and Pulmonary Circulation

The systemic and pulmonary circuits are crucial components of the circulatory system, working together to transport blood between the heart, lungs, and the rest of the body. The process begins with pulmonary circulation, where deoxygenated blood is pumped from the right ventricle to the lungs via the pulmonary trunk and arteries. Upon reaching the lungs, the blood becomes oxygenated and returns to the heart, specifically to the left atrium, via the pulmonary veins.
The oxygenated blood is sent...

Anatomy of the Circulatory System

Anatomy of the Circulatory System

The human circulatory system consists of blood, blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart, around the body, and back to the heart, and the heart itself, which acts as a central pump. The systemic circuit supplies blood to the whole body, the coronary circuit supplies blood to the heart, and the pulmonary circuit supplies blood flow between the heart and lungs.

Gross Anatomy of the Lungs

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...

Pressure Relationships in Thoracic Cavity

Pressure Relationships in Thoracic Cavity

Breathing, otherwise known as pulmonary ventilation, is the process of air movement into and out of the lungs. The main mechanisms propelling pulmonary ventilation are atmospheric pressure (Patm), intra-pulmonary (Ppul ) or intra-alveolar pressure (Palv) within the alveoli, and intrapleural pressure (Pip) within the pleural cavity.
Breathing Mechanisms
Both intra-alveolar and intrapleural pressures rely on specific lung properties. The ability to breathe—allowing air to enter the lungs during...

Overview of Systemic Arteries

Overview of Systemic Arteries

The human body is a complex, well-organized machine, and at the heart of its operations lies the circulatory system. This network of blood vessels, which includes systemic arteries, plays a vital role in maintaining life by transporting nutrients, oxygen, and waste products to and from cells throughout the body.
Systemic circulation is the part of the cardiovascular system that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body's tissues and returns deoxygenated blood back to the heart.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The Alveolar Gas Monitor: An Alternative to Pulse Oximetry for the Noninvasive Assessment of Impaired Gas Exchange in Patients at Risk of Respiratory Deterioration.

Journal of clinical medicine·2025

Same author

Noninvasive Assessment of Impaired Gas Exchange with the Alveolar Gas Monitor Predicts Clinical Deterioration in COVID-19 Patients.

Journal of clinical medicine·2023

Same author

Time Domains of Hypoxia Responses and -Omics Insights.

Frontiers in physiology·2022

Same author

The strange history of atmospheric oxygen.

Physiological reports·2022

Same author

Elevating physiology: Griffith Pugh on the limits of human performance and survival.

The Journal of physiology·2022

Same author

Inspired oxygen: present, past, and future.

American journal of physiology. Lung cellular and molecular physiology·2021

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Videomorphometric Analysis of Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction of Intra-pulmonary Arteries Using Murine Precision Cut Lung Slices

Videomorphometric Analysis of Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction of Intra-pulmonary Arteries Using Murine Precision Cut Lung Slices

Published on: January 14, 2014

Comparative physiology of the pulmonary circulation.

¹Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA. jwest@ucsd.edu

Comprehensive Physiology

|June 5, 2013

Summary

The evolution of pulmonary circulation in vertebrates involved thinner blood-gas barriers for efficient gas exchange and separation of circulations to maintain barrier integrity. Birds exhibit thinner, more uniform barriers due to air capillary support.

More Related Videos

Determination of Cardiac Output in a Porcine Model for Ex Vivo Pulmonary Perfusion

Determination of Cardiac Output in a Porcine Model for Ex Vivo Pulmonary Perfusion

Published on: June 28, 2024

Assessment of Pulmonary Capillary Blood Volume, Membrane Diffusing Capacity, and Intrapulmonary Arteriovenous Anastomoses During Exercise

Assessment of Pulmonary Capillary Blood Volume, Membrane Diffusing Capacity, and Intrapulmonary Arteriovenous Anastomoses During Exercise

Published on: February 20, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 10, 2026

Videomorphometric Analysis of Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction of Intra-pulmonary Arteries Using Murine Precision Cut Lung Slices

Videomorphometric Analysis of Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction of Intra-pulmonary Arteries Using Murine Precision Cut Lung Slices

Published on: January 14, 2014

Determination of Cardiac Output in a Porcine Model for Ex Vivo Pulmonary Perfusion

Determination of Cardiac Output in a Porcine Model for Ex Vivo Pulmonary Perfusion

Published on: June 28, 2024

Assessment of Pulmonary Capillary Blood Volume, Membrane Diffusing Capacity, and Intrapulmonary Arteriovenous Anastomoses During Exercise

Assessment of Pulmonary Capillary Blood Volume, Membrane Diffusing Capacity, and Intrapulmonary Arteriovenous Anastomoses During Exercise

Published on: February 20, 2017

Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Comparative physiology
Respiratory system development

Background:

Pulmonary circulation evolved under selective pressures for increased oxygen consumption.
The blood-gas barrier's tripartite structure (endothelium, extracellular matrix, epithelium) is conserved across air-breathing vertebrates.
Mechanical integrity of the thin barrier is crucial and linked to circulatory separation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the evolutionary adaptations of the pulmonary blood-gas barrier.
To understand how increasing oxygen demands influenced barrier structure and function.
To compare the pulmonary circulation and blood-gas barrier in different vertebrate classes.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of blood-gas barrier structure across vertebrate phylogeny (amphibia, reptiles, mammals, birds).
Examination of evolutionary trends in barrier thickness, surface area, and circulatory separation.
Correlation of respiratory system design with gas exchange efficiency and mechanical stability.

Main Results:

The blood-gas barrier progressively thinned and increased in area from amphibians to birds, supporting higher oxygen demands.
Separation of pulmonary and systemic circulations advanced through vertebrate evolution, culminating in birds and mammals.
Avian pulmonary capillaries, supported by air capillaries, exhibit thinner, more uniform barriers than mammalian counterparts, enhancing gas exchange.

Conclusions:

Evolutionary pressures favored thinner, larger blood-gas barriers and separated circulations for efficient respiration.
The unique avian respiratory system, with air capillary support, provides superior gas exchange efficiency.
The conserved tripartite structure, reinforced by type IV collagen, ensures barrier integrity despite extreme thinness.