Introduction
The respiratory and excretory systems are among the most important organ systems not only to human beings but reptiles like the American alligator. Their primary function is to facilitate gaseous exchange and removal of wastes from the body respectively. The American alligator is mostly found in the southeastern United States. Human beings utilize these species mainly for their skins and meat. They belong to the species Crocodilus mississipiensis , family Alligatoridae, and superfamily Alligatoroidea ( Sanders & Farmer, 2012). These reptiles have certain similarities and differences with regards to the respiratory and excretory systems of human beings.
Anatomy
Respiratory System
The primary function of the respiratory system in human beings is to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide out of the body. The major parts involved in the respiratory process include the lungs, muscles of respiration, and the airway. According to Gilbert-Barness et al. (2014), the airway consists of the nose, mouth, larynx, pharynx, trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles. The muscles of respiration surround the lungs that are responsible for causing air to either be inhaled or exhaled from the lungs. The diaphragm is the main muscle and forms the lower part of the thorax. The intercostals muscles also assist the diaphragm in expanding and contracting the lungs. They are either divided into internal intercostals muscles and external intercostals muscles. The third principle organs in the respiratory system are the lungs. They are large and spongy and are located in the thorax superior to the diaphragm and lateral to the heart. The plural membrane surrounds the lungs providing them with the space to expand and contract. The interior of the heart consists of alveoli which are tiny spongy tissues containing numerous capillaries. Air exchange between the lungs and the blood occurs in the alveoli.
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Excretory system
The excretory system is involved in the removal of waste substances from the body to avoid their accumulation to toxic levels. Bradley (2013) asserted that the human organs that are involved in the process of excretion include the kidneys, urinary bladders, skin, and the lungs. The kidney is responsible for removing wastes such as ions from the blood through the process of absorption. The urinary bladder is responsible for the temporary storage of urine once it leaves the kidney. The skin excretes the sweat from the body while the liver excretes compounds such as iron and urea. The lungs are involved in the excretion of carbon dioxide.
Physiology
The pulmonary ventilation is the process where the air is moved in and out of the lungs to complete the process of gaseous exchange. The inhalation and exhalation of gases are enabled through the contraction and relaxation of the respiratory muscles. Two types of respiration occur including external and internal. External respiration involves the exchange of gases between the alveoli and the capillaries. Internal respiration is the exchange of gases between blood in the capillaries and the tissues. The tidal volume is the amount of air breathed at normalcy and is about 500ml. The inspiratory reserve volume is additional air forcibly inhaled after the tidal volume and is about 3100ml. The expiratory reserve volume is the excess air that is forcibly exhaled after breathing out the normal tidal volume, and it is normally 1200ml. Residual volume is air that remains in the lungs after the exhalation of the expiratory reserve volume. The total lung capacity is calculated by adding the tidal volume, inspiratory reserve volume, expiratory reserve volume, and residual volume. The vital capacity is calculated by adding the tidal volume, inspiratory reserve volume, and the expiratory reserve volume.
With regards to the excretory system during the excretion that occurs in the kidney can be calculated. The renal plasma flow is the quantity of plasma flowing through the kidneys per minute. First, renal blood flow is multiplied by the percentage of blood in the form of plasma. In finding the percentage of blood that is purely plasma, first, the amount of hematocrit must be subtracted. The amount remaining is converted into a percentage and multiplied by the total volume of blood to find the value representing the renal plasma flow.
Comparison
There are certain similarities and differences between the respiratory system of human beings and the American alligator. Both organisms have a trachea. The alligator has a trachea that connects the mouth and the lungs. Just like human beings, they have a palate that enables them to eat while breathing which is similar to epiglottis in human beings. They also possess alveoli and have a series of muscle action facilitated by the Diaphragmaticus hence allowing air to enter the lungs. The differences with human beings include the fact that they have a unidirectional airflow like in the birds. Unlike the human beings, the alligators lack air sacs.
Smith and Brodie (2014) asserted that the excretory system of the American alligator primarily focuses on the removal of nitrogenous compounds from the body. Whereas the humans also excrete nitrogenous compounds via the liver and the kidney, other forms of compounds such as ions are excreted. The alligators secrete the liquid urine that contains ammonia, urea, and uric acid. They are therefore regarded ammono-uricotelic due to their tendency to excrete using the urine system ( Dantzler, 2013). It is vital to note that the alligators lack a urinary bladder and excrete the liquid nitrogen directly from the bloodstream. The main excretory organ is the three kidneys developed in their early embryonic days.
Disorders
Some of the common disorders of the respiratory system in human beings include tuberculosis, pneumonia, influenza, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma among others. Most of these disorders are treatable or manageable through various medical interventions as put forward by Zelman et al. (2015). In American alligators, the most common respiratory related infection is the fatal mycotic pulmonary disease which is a fungal infection that affects the soft tissues of lungs. It is a fatal disorder that leads to the death of many alligators. Common excretory disorders of human beings include kidney failure, kidney stones, land liver failure among others. Since the main excretory organ in alligators is the kidney, kidney failure is the only disorder that might threaten their life.
Integration
The respiratory system is involved in the exchange of gases while the excretory system is involved in the removal of wastes. The systems integrate into two major ways. First, the oxygen taken in the body is vital for many life processes that lead to the building up of toxins in the body. The excretory therefore comes in to ensure that the toxins are eliminated to avoid their accumulation to dangerous levels. Secondly, the respiratory system can also act as an excretory system where the lungs play a role in the removal of carbon dioxide from the body.
Conclusion
The two organ systems discussed are important for the proper function of the body not only in humans but other reptiles such as the American alligator. The two systems consist of organs that synchronize to perform a physiological task that enables the body to remain at optimal conditions. There are similarities and differences between these systems in human beings and the American alligator. Also, such organ systems are prone to various pathologies which might have detrimental effects if no intervention is taken. Finally, the respiratory and excretory systems integrate to ensure that synergy is maintained in a manner that the body is kept healthy and active.
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References
Bradley, T. J. (2013). 10 The Excretory System. Structure and Physiology. Regulation: Digestion, Nutrition, Excretion , 421.
Dantzler, W. H. (2013). Renal mechanisms for osmoregulation in reptiles and birds. Animals and Environmental Fitness: Physiological and Biochemical Aspects of Adaptation and Ecology: Invited Lectures , 91.
Gilbert-Barness, E., Spicer, D. E., & Steffensen, T. S. (2014). Respiratory system. In Handbook of Pediatric Autopsy Pathology (pp. 329-354). Springer New York.
Sanders, R. K., & Farmer, C. G. (2012). The pulmonary anatomy of Alligator mississipiensis and its similarity to the avian respiratory system. The Anatomical Record , 295 (4), 699-714.
Smith, H. M., & Brodie Jr, E. D. (2014). Reptiles of North America: A guide to field identification . Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press.
Zelman, M., Raymond, J., Holdaway, P., Dafnis, E., & Mulvihill, M. L. (2015). Human diseases: A systemic approach . Pearson.
