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The Vertebrate Blood-Gas Barrier in Health and Disease pp 1–14Cite as

Generalities of Gas Diffusion Applied to the Vertebrate Blood–Gas Barrier

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Abstract

This chapter is an introductory overview of the physical aspects of gas diffusion as they apply to the vertebratesʼ blood–gas barrier (BGB). At first, generalities are given on the process of gas diffusion, its role in gas exchange and the needs for convective mechanisms to improve gas exchange. Then, two sections recall the most fundamental principles of diffusion of gases in air and liquids, namely the Fickʼs laws, the time for diffusion and the concepts of diffusive conductance and liquid capacitance for gases. The importance of the partial pressure gradient, rather than the concentration gradient, in driving gas diffusion is emphasised. In the remaining portions of the article, some cases are presented to expand on the preceding sections, with examples on changes in BGB surface and thickness, the effect of low barometric pressure on diffusion and the implications of the capacitance for oxygen and carbon dioxide for air-breathing and water-breathing animals.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The only exceptions that I am aware of for birds and mammals are some of the smallest newborn marsupials, which can satisfy their O2 requirements by gas exchange through the skin for days after birth.

  2. 2.

    Differently, PO2 cannot remain constant in a respiratory system with tidal ventilation like that of mammals. In the mammalian respiratory system, the PO2 in the alveoli is lower than the inspired PO2 because the inspired air, during its progression from the large airways to the gas exchange region, accumulates water vapour and carbon dioxide.

  3. 3.

    Volumes of gases are at standard temperature, pressure and dry conditions (STPD). 1 mol contains the Avogadro’s number of particles. 1 mMol O2 = 22.4 ml O2 and 1 ml O2 = 0.0446 mMol O2.

  4. 4.

    The solubility α of gases in liquids depends on temperature and concentration of solutes.

  5. 5.

    Based on simple geometric considerations, as the size of an organism increases, its body surface-mass ratio rapidly decreases, because surfaces increase with the square of the linear dimension while volumes increase with the cube of the linear dimension (‘Surface Law’).

  6. 6.

    The egg daily weight loss due to water evaporation permits to compute the conductance of water vapour, GH 2 o, from which Go 2 is calculated from the molecular weight of H2 O and O2.

  7. 7.

    At 20 °C water is about 1000 times denser and about 100 times more viscous than air.

  8. 8.

    With water β(CO2)/β(O2) ≈ 30, a drop in PO2 of 150 mmHg raises PCO2 by only 150/30 = 5 mmHg.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, McGill University, McIntyre Basic Sciences Building, Promenade Sir William Osler, Montreal, H3G 1Y6, 3655, Quebec, Canada

    Jacopo P. Mortola

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  1. Jacopo P. Mortola
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Correspondence to Jacopo P. Mortola .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

    Andrew N. Makanya

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Mortola, J. (2015). Generalities of Gas Diffusion Applied to the Vertebrate Blood–Gas Barrier. In: Makanya, A. (eds) The Vertebrate Blood-Gas Barrier in Health and Disease. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18392-3_1

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