alveolkapillärnätverket

The alveolocapillary network, or alveolkapillärnätverket in Swedish, refers to the intricate system of tiny air sacs in the lungs called alveoli and the network of small blood vessels, capillaries, that surround them. This structure is fundamental to the process of gas exchange, which is how the body takes in oxygen and expels carbon dioxide.

Each lung contains millions of alveoli, which are thin-walled sacs. The capillaries form a dense mesh around these alveoli. The walls of both the alveoli and the capillaries are extremely thin, often only one cell thick, which minimizes the distance that gases need to travel.

This close proximity and thinness allow for efficient diffusion of oxygen from the inhaled air in the alveoli into the blood within the capillaries. Simultaneously, carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism, diffuses from the blood into the alveoli to be exhaled. The immense surface area provided by the millions of alveoli further enhances the rate of this gas exchange. Any disruption to the alveolocapillary network, such as thickening of the walls or reduced blood flow, can impair breathing and lead to various respiratory conditions.