Gas Exchange

1 of 28 © Boardworks Ltd 2008

Exchange surfaces
All organisms require nutrients and the ability to excrete
waste. Many simple organisms, such as bacteria and sea
anemones, can exchange substances directly across their
external surfaces.
Larger organisms require specialized
gas exchange and transport systems
to transport substances such as oxygen
and nutrients to their cells efficiently.
Fish exchange these substances across
gills, while insects have openings called
spiracles on their surfaces.
Crop
In mammals, gas exchange occurs in photo
the lungs, and in particular the alveoli.

Structure of the lungs

Gas exchange in the alveoli

Maintaining the structure of the alveoli
During inhalation, the chest cavity increases in volume,
lowering the pressure in the lungs to draw in fresh air.
This decrease in pressure leads to a tendency for the lungs

to collapse. Cartilage keeps the trachea and bronchi open,
but the alveoli lack this structural support.
Lung surfactant is a alveoli

phospholipid that coats the
surfaces of the lungs.
Without it, the watery lining
of the alveoli would create a
surface tension, which would
cause them to collapse. surfactant

Keeping the airways clear
The walls of the trachea
and bronchus contain
goblet cells, which
secrete mucus made of
mucin. This traps micro-
organisms and debris,
helping to keep the
airways clear.
The walls also contain ciliated epithelial cells, which are

covered on one surface with cilia. These beat regularly to
move micro-organisms and dust particles along with the
mucus. They contain many mitochondria to provide energy
for the beating cilia.

Structures of the human lung

Why do we breathe?
Animals need to maintain a concentration gradient across
their exchange surfaces so that oxygen will diffuse into the
blood and carbon dioxide will diffuse out.
Fish manage this by keeping a

continuous stream of oxygenated
water moving over their gills.
In animals such as mammals and

birds, a concentration gradient is
maintained in the alveoli by the
mechanism of ventilation.

The mechanism of ventilation

The pleural cavity
Each of the lungs is enclosed in a double membrane known
as the pleural membrane. The space between the two
membranes is called the pleural cavity, and is filled with a
small amount of pleural fluid.
lung
This fluid lubricates the

lungs. It also adheres to
the outer walls of the
lungs to the thoracic
(chest) cavity by water
cohesion, so that the
lungs expand with the
chest while breathing.
pleural membranes
Composition of inhaled/exhaled air
In one breathing cycle, the air in the lungs loses only some
of its oxygen content. This is why mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation can be effective.
90 78% 78%
80
composition (%)
inhaled air
70
60
exhaled air
50
40
30 21%
15%
20
10 0.04% 4% <1% 3% <1% <1%
0
N2 O2 CO2 H 2O other

Spirometry

Spirometric terms

Haemoglobin
Haemoglobin is a protein making up 95% of the dry mass
of a red blood cell. It is the means of transport of oxygen
around the body.
Haemoglobin is made up of four polypeptide chains, each

bound to one haem group.
Each haem group can

combine with one oxygen
molecule, so that one
molecule of haemoglobin
can combine with a
maximum of four oxygen
molecules. This forms
oxyhaemoglobin.
polypeptide chain
How is oxygen concentration measured?
Oxygen binds to haemoglobin when oxygen is at a high
concentration, and dissociates from haemoglobin when
oxygen is at a low concentration.
The concentration of a gas in a mixture of gases can be

quantified in terms of its partial pressure. This is the
amount of pressure exerted by the gas relative to the total
pressure exerted by all the gases in the mixture.
Partial pressure is measured

in kilopascals (kPa) and is
written as P(O2), P(CO2), etc.

The oxygen dissociation curve

• After the first oxygen molecule
associates, the conformation of the
haemoglobin changes
• Conformational change makes it

easier for the 2nd and 3rd oxygen
molecules to associate
• It is difficult to associate a 4th oxygen

molecule. This is because the
haemoglobin molecule becomes
‘full’
• This is why the curve plateaus below

100%
Factors affecting oxygen dissociation

Foetal haemoglobin
The red blood cells in the foetal bloodstream contain a special
form of haemoglobin known as foetal haemoglobin.
Foetal haemoglobin foetal haemoglobin

has a higher affinity 100
90
oxyhaemoglobin
for oxygen than adult 80
(% saturation)
haemoglobin. 70 adult
60
This helps maximize 50 haemoglobin
oxygen uptake from 40
the mother’s blood 30
20
stream, which has 10
already lost some of its 0
oxygen by the time it 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
reaches the placenta. oxygen
partial pressure (kPa)
• In pregnancy, foetal and
maternal blood is kept
separate
• To get oxygen from maternal

to foetal blood, foetal
haemoglobin needs a
stronger affinity for oxygen
than maternal haemoglobin
• Comparatively, foetal
haemoglobin oxygen
dissociation curves are to the
left of adult curves – their
stronger O2 affinity means
they can become saturated at
lower pO2
What is myoglobin?
Myoglobin is a molecule with a similar structure to
haemoglobin, but with only one haem group.
Myoglobin has a very myoglobin

high affinity for 100
90
oxyhaemoglobin
oxygen, even at very 80
(% saturation)
low partial pressures. 70 haemoglobin
60
This means 50
oxymyoglobin will only 40
30
dissociate when 20
oxygen levels are low. 10
It is found in muscle 0
cells, where it acts as 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
an oxygen reserve. oxygen
partial pressure (kPa)
Understanding oxygen transport

Glossary

What’s the keyword?

Structures involved in gas exchange

Multiple-choice quiz

Gas Exchange

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This decrease in pressure leads to a tendency for the lungs

Lung surfactant is a alveoli

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The walls also contain ciliated epithelial cells, which are

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Fish manage this by keeping a

In animals such as mammals and

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This fluid lubricates the

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Haemoglobin is made up of four polypeptide chains, each

Each haem group can

The concentration of a gas in a mixture of gases can be

Partial pressure is measured

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• Conformational change makes it

• It is difficult to associate a 4th oxygen

• This is why the curve plateaus below

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Foetal haemoglobin foetal haemoglobin

• To get oxygen from maternal

Myoglobin has a very myoglobin

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