respiratie

Respiratie, Dutch for respiration, is the biological process by which organisms exchange gases with their environment. In humans it includes ventilation (breathing), external respiration (gas exchange in the lungs), the transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, and cellular respiration, the intracellular use of oxygen to produce energy.

Ventilation moves air into and out of the lungs, driven by the diaphragm and intercostal muscles. In the alveoli, oxygen diffuses into the blood and carbon dioxide diffuses out. Oxygen is carried mainly by hemoglobin in red blood cells; carbon dioxide is transported as bicarbonate in plasma and also dissolved or bound to proteins.

Regulation: Breathing rate and depth are coordinated by respiratory centers in the brainstem. Chemoreceptors monitor carbon dioxide, oxygen, and pH levels, adjusting ventilation to maintain blood gas balance. During exercise or illness, the body increases ventilation to meet higher oxygen demand and remove carbon dioxide.

Clinical relevance: Impairments in any part of the respiratory system can cause hypoxemia (low blood oxygen) or hypercapnia (high carbon dioxide). Common conditions include asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pneumonia, and sleep apnea. Treatments target ventilation, gas exchange, or the underlying disease.