STUDY OF HUMAN LUNGS
When we talk about respiration in Human it is not complete without the mention of THE LUNG. The lungs are the preliminary organs in the respiratory system in some animals and humans. In humans and some vertebrates animals they have a pair of lungs which are usually located at both side of the chest located near the backbone.
They take oxygen from the air breathe in by humans and send it into the bloodstream also not forgetting to remove the carbon dioxide in the bloodstream to the outside environment this is known as respiration.
Respiration is aided by muscular systems to support and help breathing such as the diaphragm in humans. The lungs also help in providing airflows in humans to make vocal sounds and also their speech.
The lung is a spongy like pair, the inhaled air is conducted by the trachea also known as the windpipe into the lungs with a bronchi (tubular branches). The bronchi is further divided into smaller branches known as Bronchioles.
The Bronchioles are then further splitter into what is called Alveoli which are microscopic air sacs, this is where oxygen that is been breathe in from the air are been passed into the bloodstream and also the carbon dioxide from the bloodstream passes through the Alveoli to be dispersed into the environment.
There is a thin layer of cell between the Alveoli which contains blood vessels that support the Alveoli they are called the interstitium.
The pluera which is a thin layer is in charge of covering the lungs, another thing layer of fluid functions as a lubricant which ensures the smooth movement of the lung as it expand and contracts.
As stated above that the lung is a pair it has a right and left lung, the right lung is the biggest one, the left shared space with the heart thus it's reason for been smaller than the Right, the lung weighs about 1.3 kg but the right weighs higher than the left.
The lungs has in it approximately 2,400 KM of airways with nothing less than 300 to 500 million alveoli. The pluera divides the lung into what is called lonbes, the right lung has three lobes while the left has just two lobes.
The lobes are divided into bronchopulmonary segments and pulmonary lobules. The lung gets deoxygenated blood from the heart from the pulmonary circulation to receive oxygen and releases Carbon dioxide, in the bronchial circulation it supplies oxygenated blood yo the tissue of the lung.
FUNCTIONS OF THE LUNGS
1 The main function of the lung is the exchange of gas between the blood and the lungs, the lungs can't expand on their own to breathe so they only expand when there is an increase in the size of the throracic cavity and this is done by the contraction of the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles which pushes the rib cage.
When there is breathing out the muscle relaxes taking the lungs back to it's resting phase.
2 The lungs has other functions which one of them is it's ability to protect against infection, the respiratory tract has a respiratory epithelium which has a hair like look called a cilia that carries mucus, this serves as an important defence against air borne infections.
Every dust particle and bacteria inhaled from the air are caught up in the mucosal of the airways and then moved towards the pharynx by the beating of the cilia.
Immunoglobulin is also secreted by the lungs linng which also protect against respiratory infections.
The flow of air and the size of the respiratory tracts also protect the lung from larger particles.
3 The lungs is involved in maintaining homoeostasis by regulating the blood pressure as part of the renin-angiotensin system. The lungs helps in the blood's acid -base homeostasis as it helps to remove Carbon dioxide when breathing
CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE LUNGS
There are numerous conditions attached to the lungs but we will be stating a few in this article
1 Pneumonia:
This is an infection that affects both or one of the lungs which is mostly bacteria like streptococcus but in rare cases caused by a virus.
2 Asthma:
Another popular lungs condition which causes shortness of breath and wheezing due to the airways of the lung been inflamed. This is triggered by allergies, viral infections or pollution in the air.
3 Obesity hypoventilation:
Due to lot of weight it is difficult to expand the chest when breathing and this causes breathing problems that are long term.
4 Pleurisy:
This is the inflammation of the pleura which causes pain whenever one breathes in. It is caused by infections or pulmonary embolism.
- Lung cancer : this is mostly caused by smoking, it is when cancer affects some part of the lung
6. Cystic fibrosis
This is a condition which mucus does not leave the airways easily and it is a genetic condition, the mucus causes repeated bronchitis and pneumonia.
7 Tuberculosis
An infection caused by bacteria mycobacterium tuberculosis which is a slow progressing pneumonia. The syomtoms are chronic coughs, weight loss, fever, night sweat etc.
PROTECTION OF THE LUNGS
1 Do not smoke or stop smoking if you are indulging in that already as smoking increases your chances of having lung cancer
2 Doing exercise often is also a way to help your lungs as you will take deeper breathe after exercises.
3 Prevent infections from getting into your lungs by always trying to wash hands at all times especially those that have heard aung infection before
4 Avoid been exposed to pollutions as the older one gets the lungs looses resistance and becomes vulnerable to disease. It is also important to avoid smokes and dust particles from going into the nose.
5 Breathe deeply occasionally as it helps to clear the lungs and protect from infection.
REFERENCES
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/305190
https://www.webmd.com/lung/picture-of-the-lungs
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung