Respiratory function

Japanese: 呼吸機能 - こきゅうきのう（英語表記）respiratory function

Breathing is defined as external respiration, and refers to the function of the body to carry out and maintain the process of taking in the oxygen needed by the body in the lungs and expelling the carbon dioxide produced by the body. Whether respiratory function is sufficient or not is ultimately determined by whether the body can supply the amount of arterial blood of normal composition required by the body. Before oxygen can reach the arteries of the body from the outside world, fresh air is taken into the alveoli, where it replaces the gas in the alveoli that is low in oxygen and high in carbon dioxide (ventilation), oxygen passes from the alveoli through the alveolar-capillary membrane (respiratory membrane) into the pulmonary capillaries (diffusion), blood in the pulmonary capillaries collects (pulmonary circulation), and is sent to the entire body via the left ventricle.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

呼吸を外呼吸の意味にとり，肺において生体に必要な酸素を取り入れ，生体で生じた二酸化炭素を体外に排出する過程を遂行し維持する生体の働きをいう。呼吸機能が十分かどうかは，最終的には生体が必要とする量の，正常組成の動脈血を供給できるかどうかで判断する。　酸素が外界から体の動脈内に到達するまでには，肺胞に新鮮な空気を取り込み，それが酸素が少なくて二酸化炭素の多い肺胞内のガスと入れかわり(換気)，酸素が肺胞から肺胞毛細血管膜(呼吸膜)を通って肺毛細血管内に移行し(拡散)，肺毛細血管内の血液が集まり(肺循環)，左心室を介して全身に送られる過程を経る。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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