Respiration as a fundamental process in living beings
The Earth did not always have the same conditions as it has now, in fact, in its origins it was not oxidative. A reducing atmosphere was needed for organic compounds to have the necessary elements to become more and more complex. When the atmosphere changed the conditions needed to change, and many species died.
In one way or another all species have adapted to gas exchange. Oxygen is the driving force to maintain an equilibrium. These processes vary depending on the species, as some only do it through their surface.
their skin, since they have tiny vessels in their skin that are in charge of this exchange. Insects, on the other hand, have tubes - called tracheal tubes - that allow them to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen. This means that our cells need to be in contact with oxygen to allow life. Fish, already vertebrates, have a peculiar respiration that is carried out through structures called gills.
Mechanical respiration then has the important function of carrying oxygen to our cells, where cellular respiration takes place.
The lungs are a kind of bag, which fills and empties. They are full of vessels and this is where the gas exchange takes place, in the so-called alveoli. If this process did not occur, all other systems would be affected.
Amphibians, reptiles and birds already have lungs, as do mammals. They maintain specialized structures that ensure that the process is effective and that life is maintained.
In such a polluted world we put our health at risk, because the multiple gases deployed in the atmosphere and that are not proper of it can wreak havoc and cause severe diseases. That is why we must work to keep our respiratory system healthy and not even affect that of other species on the planet.
Reference
Aguilera et al. Student's Encyclopedia (2006) Life Sciences. Buenos Aires
Pixabay images
