Dorothy FarrarAlveoli
Air sacs or alveoli are responsible for gas exchange between the outside world and the blood . Fresh breathing air is taken in via the alveoli and the carbon dioxide produced during breathing is carried away. If the air sacs in the lungs are damaged, breathing becomes severely restricted.
Definition
The alveoli are an essential part of the lungs and are found at the end of the bronchioles or bronchi . They are responsible for the exchange of gas between the environment and the body, with each person having around 300 million alveoli. The alveoli are very well protected by the bronchi in front of them, which is also a major advantage in the event of infections.
If the alveoli are severely damaged or even killed by pollutants, for example, it is not possible to maintain respiratory function. Destroyed alveoli cannot grow back and there is no suitable therapy to reverse this destruction.
Anatomy
The lungs are structured like a tree: the trachea leads directly into the lungs, where it branches into the bronchi. The so-called bronchioles or alveoli are located on the bronchi. Alveoli are shaped like grapes and are grouped at the end of the bronchioles into what are known as alveolar sacs.
In addition, Clara cells or alveolar macrophages can also be found in the alveoli. These come from the blood and phagocytize dust or absorb the blood pigment after bleeding.
Gas exchange takes place in the alveoli. The lungs contain around 300 million sacs with a diameter of around 0.2 millimeters. This results in a total surface of 100 square meters. A fine network of blood vessels stretches around the alveoli.
There is also a layer of skin between the alveoli and blood vessels, which helps gas exchange to take place. The skin layer is permeable, so it is possible to release fresh air from the alveoli into the blood vessels. On the other hand, used air is taken in by the alveoli and released to the outside. The alveoli are hollow on the inside, so that the fresh air or the exhaust air can be stored for a short time.
Function
Air sacs have the task of ensuring the exchange of gas that takes place during respiration. The fresh air is first taken in during breathing and then passes through the trachea, the bronchi or bronchial tubes to the alveoli.
There, the breathing air is stored in a special cavity and then enters the blood vessels via a layer of skin. Conversely, used air is transported via the blood vessels to the alveoli, where it is briefly stored and then expelled through respiration.
Diseases
Normally, the alveoli do not cause any problems. Even with asthma , bronchitis or a cold , the alveoli are protected by the bronchioles or bronchi. Only when the bronchi are chronically damaged can the alveoli also be attacked, so that normal breathing is no longer possible.
When you breathe, a wide variety of harmful substances enter the lungs. If the load is normally high, the pollutants can be transported away via the bronchi or alveoli without any problems. With a large load over a long period of time, swelling of the mucous membranes occurs in the bronchi. In order for the mucus to be transported away, the person has to cough so that the mucus is expelled.
With further stress, the mucus production also increases and the airways narrow. Even if there is no pollution, there can be no further improvement. The disease, in which the alveoli are damaged, is known as COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
The skin of the alveoli is completely destroyed and so-called ephysema vesicles appear. These expand and take up a lot of space in the lungs. As a result, the lung capacity decreases and those affected suffer from shortness of breath . In very bad cases, they are hardly able to move and are no longer able to cope with their everyday life.
A common cause of this condition is smoking , as the toxins damage cells in the airways. Rarer causes are contact with hazardous substances such as chemical substances or cotton, eating habits or infections .
Since the changes in the alveoli are irreversible, therapy can only help to improve the symptoms or slow down the progression of the disease. The patients receive primarily drugs from a wide variety of active ingredient groups, which can be inhaled in the event of shortness of breath. Physical measures such as a wide variety of breathing exercises are also helpful. In severe cases, people also need oxygen and are given a portable oxygen device.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.