cutaneous respiration

(noun)

exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide with the environment that takes place through the permeable skin

Related Terms

Examples of cutaneous respiration in the following topics:

  • Characteristics and Evolution of Amphibians

    • An important characteristic of extant amphibians is a moist, permeable skin that is achieved via mucus glands that keep the skin moist; thus, exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide with the environment can take place through it (cutaneous respiration).
    • Evolution of tetrapods from fishes represented a significant change in body plan from one suited to organisms that respired and swam in water, to organisms that breathed air and moved onto land.

  • Transforming Chemical Energy

    • Cellular respiration is the process of transforming chemical energy into forms usable by the cell or organism.
    • When oxygen is used to help drive the oxidation of nutrients the process is called aerobic respiration.
    • Respiration occurs within the cytoplasm of prokaryotes.
    • Electron acceptors for anaerobic respiration include nitrate, sulfate, carbon dioxide, and several metal ions.
    • The energy released during cellular respiration is then used in other biological processes.

  • Regulatory Mechanisms for Cellular Respiration

    • Cellular respiration can be controlled at each stage of glucose metabolism through various regulatory mechanisms.
    • Various mechanisms are used to control cellular respiration.

  • The Energy Cycle

    • Finally, in the process of breaking down food, called cellular respiration, heterotrophs release needed energy and produce "waste" in the form of CO2 gas.
    • Photosynthesis absorbs light energy to build carbohydrates in chloroplasts, and aerobic cellular respiration releases energy by using oxygen to metabolize carbohydrates in the cytoplasm and mitochondria.
    • Aerobic respiration consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide.
    • These two powerhouse processes, photosynthesis and cellular respiration, function in biological, cyclical harmony to allow organisms to access life-sustaining energy that originates millions of miles away in the sun.
    • Aerobic respiration consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide.

  • Anaerobic Cellular Respiration

    • Some prokaryotes and eukaryotes use anaerobic respiration in which they can create energy for use in the absence of oxygen.
    • During cellular respiration, some living systems use an organic molecule as the final electron acceptor.
    • Certain prokaryotes, including some species of bacteria and archaea, use anaerobic respiration.
    • Eukaryotes can also undergo anaerobic respiration.
    • This means that they can switch between aerobic respiration and fermentation, depending on the availability of oxygen.

  • Skin, Gills, and Tracheal Systems

    • Respiration can occur using a variety of respiratory organs in different animals, including skin, gills, and tracheal systems.
    • Insect respiration is independent of its circulatory system; therefore, the blood does not play a direct role in oxygen transport.
    • Insects perform respiration via a tracheal system, in which openings called spiracles allow oxygen to pass into the body.
    • Describe how the skin, gills, and tracheal system are used in the process of respiration

  • Food Energy and ATP

    • Animals use energy for metabolism, obtaining that energy from the breakdown of food through the process of cellular respiration.
    • ATP is produced by the oxidative reactions in the cytoplasm and mitochondrion of the cell, where carbohydrates, proteins, and fats undergo a series of metabolic reactions collectively called cellular respiration .
    • It is produced through various pathways during the cellular respiration process, with each making different amounts of energy.

  • Amphibian and Bird Respiratory Systems

    • Birds are different from other vertebrates, with birds having relatively small lungs and nine air sacs that play an important role in respiration.
    • Three distinct sets of organs perform respiration — the anterior air sacs, the lungs, and the posterior air sacs.

  • The Carbon Cycle

    • These chemical bonds store this energy for later use in the process of respiration.
    • Heterotrophs acquire the high-energy carbon compounds from the autotrophs by consuming them and breaking them down by respiration to obtain cellular energy, such as ATP.
    • The most efficient type of respiration, aerobic respiration, requires oxygen obtained from the atmosphere or dissolved in water.
    • The large numbers of land animals raised to feed the earth's growing population results in increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere due to farming practices, respiration, and methane production.
    • Photosynthesis converts carbon dioxide gas to organic carbon, while respiration cycles the organic carbon back into carbon dioxide gas.

  • Estuaries: Where the Ocean Meets Fresh Water

    • When these animals are exposed to low salinity, they stop feeding, close their shells, and switch from aerobic respiration (in which they use gills) to anaerobic respiration (a process that does not require oxygen).
    • When high tide returns to the estuary, the salinity and oxygen content of the water increases, causing these animals to open their shells, begin feeding, and to return to aerobic respiration.