How Many Lungs are in the Human Body

Introduction

The two spongy, pinkish-gray organs in your chest are called the lungs. When you inhale (breathe), air enters your lungs, and oxygen flows to your blood. At the same time, a waste gas called carbon dioxide moves from the blood to the lungs and is exhaled. The thoracic cavity of air-breathing vertebrates contains two major respiratory organs, including the lungs, which remove carbon dioxide from the blood and replenish oxygen. In humans, each lung is covered by a delicate membrane sac known as the pleura. The primary bronchi of each lung connect it to the trachea (windpipe), while the pulmonary arteries connect it to the heart.

Lung

A right lung and a left lung are found in humans. It is located in the chest's thoracic cavity. On either side of the heart, it is located close to the backbone. The lungs have two main roles: removing carbon dioxide from the blood and absorbing oxygen from the air. Gas exchange refers to the entire process. Additionally, the airflow necessary for human speech is provided by the lungs.

Anatomy of Lung

The lungs have a conical shape with a narrow, rounded cap. A sizable concave base at the bottom rests on the diaphragm's convex surface. The muscle that propels gaseous exchange in the lungs is called the diaphragm. The combined weight of both lungs is about 1.3 kg, with the right lung being heavier than the left. Pleural cavities, or pleurae, house the lungs and contain pleural fluid. The breathing process is slick and friction-free thanks to the pleural fluid between the outer and inner membranes. Anatomically, lungs have three surfaces, three boundaries, and an apex.

Borders of Lungs

The anterior, posterior, and inferior boundaries are the three borders. It is known that the anterior boundary, which lines up with the pleural reflection, creates a cardiac notch in the left lung. The concavity that houses the heart is known as the cardiac notch. The thicker structure of the posterior border runs from C7 to T10. The base of the lung is separated from the coastal surface by the inferior border, which is narrow in nature.

Surfaces of Lungs

Medial, coastal, and diaphragmatic surfaces make up the three surfaces. The costal pleura, which can be found along the sternum and rib lines, layers the costal surface. It meets the diaphragmatic surface at the inferior border and the medial surface at the anterior and posterior borders. The vertebrae are connected to the medial surface posteriorly and the sternum anteriorly. The diaphragmatic surface forms the roof of the abdominal cavity on the lower side and the floor of the thoracic cavity on the higher side.

The blood vessels and airways enter the lungs through a central depression in the lungs called the hilum, which also serves as the lung's root. The pleural membranes, which are double serous membranes and contain pleural fluid, surround the lung. There are lobes and lobules in each of the lungs.

Alveoli

The lungs contain millions of hollow, cup-shaped chambers called alveoli, also known as air spaces or air sacs, where the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs. Around 90% of the total lung volume is made up of the lung parenchyma, which is the functioning tissue of the lungs.

Two different kinds of alveolar cells, as well as an alveolar macrophage, make up the alveoli. The two varieties of pneumocytes are type I and type II cells.

The squamous epithelium that makes up type I cells is thin and allows for gaseous exchange. They are a part of the alveolar septa, which divides the alveoli. Alveoli are lined by type II alveolar cells, which are smaller. They release fluid from the epithelial lining and the lungs that reduces the surface tension in the alveoli.

The removal of deposits from the alveolar surface, such as slack RBCs, by the alveolar macrophage is crucial for immunity.

Right and Left Lung

There are three lobes in the right lung: an upper, middle, and lower lobe. The right lung typically weighs 100g to 590g in women and 155g to 720g in men.

The upper and lower lobes make up the left lung's two lobes. Like the right lung, it lacks a middle lobe. It weighs 100g to 590g for women and 110g to 675g for men.

Function of Lung

Respiration, a process of gas exchange, is the major purpose of the lungs (or breathing). Carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism, leaves the blood during breathing while oxygen from the incoming air enters. Reduced lung function refers to the lungs' diminished capacity to exchange gases.

Conclusion

In order for oxygen to reach every area of your body, it must first be absorbed by the lungs from the air you breathe in and then transferred into your bloodstream. Carbon dioxide is a waste gas that is created as your body's cells function and is discharged into the bloodstream. When you exhale, your lungs get rid of this waste gas.