Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 14.1
Branching of the airway network in the human lungs from the trachea ending in alveoli.
Patrick
J. Lynch, illustrator; C. Carl Jaffe, MD, cardiologist; Yale University Center for Advanced Instructional Media Medical,
Illustrations by Patrick Lynch, generated for multimedia teaching projects by the Yale University School of Medicine, Center
for Advanced Instructional Media, 1987-2000.
FIGURE 14.2
A cast of the human lungs showing the alveolar sacs.
From the Anatomical Institute, Bern.
from the air to the pulmonary blood, and carbon dioxide is transferred from the blood to the air,
across the alveolar membranes. Nitrogen is not transferred under normal conditions.
Figure 14.5 shows the gas exchange between the alveoli and the pulmonary capillaries.
The close spatial relationship between the pulmonary capillaries is necessary to shorten
the diffusion distance between the alveoli and the capillaries to ensure adequate gas trans-
fer between the lungs and the capillaries. Figure 14.6 depicts this close spatial relationship.
