Week 7 – Discussion Board 2

[Art Liebl]

In at least 250 words talk about the  importance of the alveoli and what it does? Reply to two fellow students by Monday.

[Shivangi Patel]

Alveoli are tiny air sacs in your lungs that take up the oxygen you breathe in and keep your body going. Although they’re microscopic, alveoli are the workhorses of your respiratory system.

People have an average of 480 million alveoli in their lungs, located at the end of bronchial tubes. When you breathe in, the alveoli expand to take in oxygen. When you breathe out, the alveoli shrink from expelling carbon dioxide.
There are three overall processes involved in your breathing:
moving air in and out of your lungs (ventilation)
oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange (diffusion)
pumping blood through your lungs (perfusion)
Although tiny, the alveoli are the center of your respiratory system’s gas exchange. The alveoli pick up the incoming energy (oxygen) you breathe in and release the outgoing waste product you exhale.
Each alveolus is cup-shaped with very thin walls. It’s surrounded by networks of blood vessels called capillaries that also have thin walls.

The oxygen you breathe in diffuses through the alveoli and the capillaries into the blood. The carbon dioxide you breathe out is diffused from the capillaries to the alveoli, up the bronchial tree, and out your mouth.
Impact to alveoli
This seemingly perfect machine for breathing can break down or become less efficient because of:
disease
aging
smoking and air pollution
Be aware of days when outdoor air pollution is high. You can find forecasts online for the following:
air quality
pollen counts
wind speeds and direction

[Alexandra Cumplido]

well said about becoming less efficient. In the recent years with COVID, Pneumonia, RSV and flu it has been very difficult for our bodies to fight diseases and congestion in the alveoli has been at its highest. Respiratory problems have been rising this winter and there has been so many viruses making it impossible for lungs to be cleared. Pollution is also a major problem we face that effects climate change and therefore it affects us all breathing habitants.

[Carolina Swanstrom]

Most modern devices have apps to check the air quality index, which is a very useful tool.

[Carlos Martinez]

I think the same as you apps don’t help when its something about our health the best thing to do its follow our medical provider instructions.

[Saika Pierre]

Hi Carlos, I think the apps can help us take the necessary precautions before we go to our medical provider for any concerns/advice.

[Estevao Rosacruz]

The alveoli are very small, air-filled sacs located at the end of the bronchioles in our lungs. They are essential for the respiratory system’s functioning, very important in the exchange of gases between the air and the bloodstream.
This gas exchange is vital for the body’s cellular activities and overall health. When we breathe in, oxygen enters the alveoli and moves through their thin walls into the surrounding capillaries, entering the bloodstream. Simultaneously, carbon dioxide, a waste product produced by cells, moves from the capillaries into the alveoli to be expelled during exhalation.
One of the key features of alveoli is their extensive surface area, which is critical for maximizing the absorption of oxygen and release of carbon dioxide. The walls of the alveoli are thin, allowing for efficient gas diffusion. This thin barrier ensures that oxygen and carbon dioxide can easily pass through, facilitating the rapid exchange needed for respiration.
Surrounded by a dense network of capillaries, the alveoli have close proximity to a rich blood supply. This ensures the quick transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the cells throughout the body. The alveoli are also elastic, allowing them to stretch during inhalation and recoil during exhalation, contributing to efficient lung ventilation.
Additionally, alveoli produce surfactant, a substance that reduces surface tension within the alveoli, preventing their collapse during exhalation and maintaining stability.

[Carolina Swanstrom]

These are very small but very important part of the respiratory system and we have more than 500 millions of them.

[Carolina Swanstrom]

Alveoli are part of the respiratory system and they are tiny air sacs that are arranged in cluster withing the lungs where the gas exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules takes place and its main function is the gas exchange. They are located at the distal end of the bronchial tree. They are made up of pneumocytes which are very thin and that facilitates passage of oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules. During the breathing cycle we take in oxygen during inhalation while removing carbon dioxide during exhalation. Air is inhale through mouth and nose where it passes through the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, alveolar duct and then into the alveoli where gas exchange takes place. The diaphragm is also part of the respiratory system and is the muscle that controls the breathing. It plays a very important role among the alveoli. When inhaling, the diaphragm contracts, creating pressure in the chest and this causes the alveoli to fill with air and when exhaling, the diaphragm relaxes, leading to the alveoli to push out the air.
Alveoli rely on a substance known as surfactant which helps to maintain their shape and surface tension. Without it, the alveoli would collapse which is known as atelectasis.
There’s several pulmonary diseases that are related to the alveola like: Emphysema, Pulmonary edema, Pneumonia, Acute respiratory distress syndrome, lung cancer and Tuberculosis. There are also things that can impact the performance of the alveoli, like aging, pollution and smoking habits.

[Carlos Martinez]

Smoking habit its the worst that we can do to our body not only to our lungs.

[Estevao Rosacruz]

It`s crazy how any damage to our lungs can lead to serious problems for our entire lives

[Carlos Martinez]

Alveoli are tiny, balloon-shaped air sacs located at the end of the bronchioles, the branch-like tubes in the lungs. The alveoli move oxygen and carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules into and out of your bloodstream Alveoli are lined by a fluid (surfactant) that maintains the shape of each air sac and helps keep it open so oxygen and CO2 can pass through the diaphragm is the muscle that controls your breathing we breathe in, our diaphragm contracts and creates negative pressure in your chest, when this happens the alveoli expand and pull in air when we breathe out, our diaphragm relaxes the alveoli then recoil or spring back, pushing out air.
The alveoli are an important part of your respiratory system. They are responsible for moving oxygen into, and CO2 out of, the bloodstream, Health problems like emphysema and tuberculosis can affect how the alveoli function. Certain cancers can also start in the alveoli. Even short-term lung diseases like pneumonia can still be very serious. Some conditions that affect the alveoli can even lead to respiratory failure.
there are couple of diseases that can cause Alveoli damage such as:
Pneumonia
Emphysema
Tuberculosis
Alveolar proteinosis
Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Respiratory distress syndrome
Pulmonary edema
We can heal our Alveoli too if we do the next which i think number one is the most important.
Quitting smoking and substances that harm your lungs: Cigarette smoke affects how the alveoli work and causes damage all the way down to the molecular level, it disrupts your body’s ability to repair itself after an infection or trauma, too, the longer you’re exposed to smoke, the worse the alveolar damage will get.
Work on better breathing: Doing deep breathing exercises and learning how to perform diaphragmatic breathing can help support your lungs and make them stronger.
Using herbal and alternative remedies: Echinacea, ginseng, licorice root, astragalus root, and ginger may help with lung health. However, it is important to inform your healthcare provider if you are taking any herbal remedies, as they can interact with traditional medications in some cases.

[Saika Pierre]

Thank you for mentioning the ways we can heal our alveoli! Deep breathing exercises is something most of us can do to benefit our alveoli.

[Estevao Rosacruz]

Its really interesting that the things you mentioned to heal the Alveoli are connected to an overall better quality of life

[Saika Pierre]

The alveoli are tiny air sacs located at the end of the bronchioles in the lungs. They help oxygen from the air we breathe get into our bloodstream and remove carbon dioxide. This exchange of gases is vital for keeping us alive and helping our cells work properly.

When we breathe in, air goes into our lungs and travels through the bronchial tubes until it reaches the alveoli. These sacs have thin walls made of just one layer of epithelial cells, making it easy for oxygen to pass into the capillaries nearby. At the same time, carbon dioxide from the blood moves into the alveoli and gets breathed out when we exhale. This process happens because of differences in how much oxygen and carbon dioxide there are between the air and the blood. Alveoli are lined by a fluid called surfactant that maintains the shape of each air sac and helps keep it open so oxygen and CO2 can pass through.

The alveoli are essential because they are where most of the gas exchange happens in our lungs. Oxygen is crucial for our cells to make energy, and without enough of it, our tissues and organs can’t function properly. Plus, getting rid of carbon dioxide is important for keeping the right balance of acids and bases in our bodies.

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