Optimal diameter reduction ratio of acinar airways in human lungs
- Authors
- Park, Keunhwan; Jung, Yeonsu; Son, Taeho; Cho, Young-Jae; Jeon, Noo Li; Kim, Wonjung; Kim, Ho-Young
- Issue Date
- Jan-2019
- Publisher
- PUBLIC LIBRARY SCIENCE
- Citation
- PLOS ONE, v.14, no.1
- Journal Title
- PLOS ONE
- Volume
- 14
- Number
- 1
- URI
- https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/gachon/handle/2020.sw.gachon/78600
- DOI
- 10.1371/journal.pone.0204191
- ISSN
- 1932-6203
- Abstract
- In the airway network of a human lung, the airway diameter gradually decreases through multiple branching. The diameter reduction ratio of the conducting airways that transport gases without gas exchange is 0.79, but this reduction ratio changes to 0.94 in acinar airways beyond transitional bronchioles. While the reduction in the conducting airways was previously rationalized on the basis of Murray's law, our understanding of the design principle behind the acinar airways has been far from clear. Here we elucidate that the change in gas transfer mode is responsible for the transition in the diameter reduction ratio. The oxygen transfer rate per unit surface area is maximized at the observed geometry of acinar airways, which suggests the minimum cost for the construction and maintenance of the acinar airways. The results revitalize and extend the framework of Murray's law over an entire human lung.
- Files in This Item
- There are no files associated with this item.
- Appears in
Collections - 공과대학 > 기계공학과 > 1. Journal Articles
Items in ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.