Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2025

Assessment of Pulmonary Capillary Blood Volume, Membrane Diffusing Capacity, and Intrapulmonary Arteriovenous Anastomoses During Exercise
Published on: February 20, 2017
Is the Lung Built for Exercise? Advances and Unresolved Questions
Carli M Peters, Jerome A Dempsey1, Susan R Hopkins2
1Population Health Science, John Rankin Laboratory of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI.
This review revisits the question "Is the lung built for exercise?" by summarizing recent advancements in respiratory system research. It highlights progress in understanding lung adaptability, mechanics, gas exchange, and cardiorespiratory interactions during exercise.
Area of Science:
- Exercise physiology
- Respiratory medicine
- Pulmonary function testing
Background:
- The 1985 lecture "Is the lung built for exercise?" spurred decades of research into the respiratory system's capacity during physical activity.
- Significant progress has been made in understanding the physiological responses of the lungs to exercise.
Conclusions:
- Despite progress, significant gaps remain in comprehending the exercising lung's capabilities.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the lung's adaptation to exercise in health, aging, and disease.
More Related Videos
09:08Precision Cut Lung Slices as an Efficient Tool for Ex vivo Pulmonary Vessel Structure and Contractility Studies
Published on: May 24, 2021
02:09Multi-modal Pulmonary Imaging: Using Complementary Information from CT and Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI to Evaluate Lung Structure-Function
Published on: April 12, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Gross Anatomy of the Lungs
Pressure Relationships in Thoracic Cavity
Breathing Mechanisms
Both intra-alveolar and intrapleural pressures rely on specific lung properties. The ability to breathe—allowing air to enter the lungs...
Anatomy of Respiratory System II: Lower Respiratory Tract
The Larynx
It is located between the pharynx and the trachea, acts as a passageway for air, and hosts several critical structures, such as the epiglottis, vocal cords, and glottis. The epiglottis acts as a gateway, guiding food to the...
Factors Affecting Pulmonary Ventilation
Alveolar Surface Tension
The alveolar fluid lines the luminal surface of the alveoli and exerts a force called surface tension. This force is caused by the polar water molecules in the liquid being more strongly attracted to each...
Lung Capacity
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation