Handbook of Physiology. Section 3: The Respiratory System. Volume IV. Gas Exchange

The broad sweep of this volume is reflected in its discussion of such topics as growth and development of the lungs, pulmonary circulation, pulmonary metabolism, and pulmonary defense mechanisms. The newly recognized correlation between physiological behavior and anatomical structure underlies the first four chapters of the text, which deal with lung development and growth, and lung cell biology. Ultrastructure and biochemistry are the themes of chapters 5-12, which focus on the metabolism of lung cells and the metabolic functions of the lungs. The final five chapters discuss pulmonary defense mechanisms, covering such aspects as airway secretions, macrophages in the respiratory tract, and cilia; and events in the bloodstream such as coagulation, fibrinolysis, and interactions between formed elements of the blood and endothelial lining.