View source for Alveolo-Capillary Membrane

[[File:Alveolo-kapilární membrána.JPG|thumb|right|Alveolo-capillary membrane|350px]]
The exchange of respiratory gases takes place through the '''alveolo-capillary membrane (hemo-respiratory barrier)'''. It is a thin layer (0.6–2 μm) that is part of the pulmonary alveoli. The total size of the alveolo-capillary membrane is '''60–160 m<sup>2</sup>'''<ref name = "NEČAS">{{Cite
| type = book
| isbn = 978-80-246-1711-4
| surname1 = Nečas
| name1 = Emanuel
| title = Patologická fyziologie orgánových systémů
| subtitle = Část I
| edition = 2
| location = Praha
| publisher = Karolinum
| year = 2009
| range = 379
| pages = 296
}}
</ref>. 

==Layers alveolocapillary membranes==
In the thinnest places, the membrane consists of the following '''6 layers''' :
# A layer of fluid containing a [[surfactant]] on the inner surface of the alveoli
# Alveolar epithelium - bodies of first order pneumocytes
# Basal membrane of the epithelium
# Interstitium between the basement membrane of the epithelium and the endothelium (a very thin tissue space that contains collagen and elastin fibers)
# Basal membrane of the endothelium
# Capillary endothelium

For respiration to be effective, the '''diffusion path''' must be '''as short as possible'''. Therefore, sites that are functionally important (sites that do not contain second-order pneumocytes, no cell nuclei, interstitial ligament) have a thickness of '''0,6 μm'''<ref name "Lüllmann">{{Cite
| type = book
| isbn = 978-80-247-3729-4
| surname1 = Lüllmann-Rauch
| name1 = Renate
| title = Histologie
| edition = 1
| location = Praha
| publisher = Grada
| year = 2012
| range = 576
}}</ref>. If we also measure the interalveolar septa, the mean thickness is 2 μm.

<noinclude>
=== References ===
* {{Cite
| type = book
| isbn = 978-80-247-3729-4
| surname1 = Lüllmann-Rauch
| name1 = Renate
| title = Histologie
| edition = 1
| location = Praha
| publisher = Grada
| year = 2012
| range = 576
}}
* {{Cite
| type = web
| surname1 = Fontana
| name1 = Josef
| surname2 = Trnka
| name2 = Jan
| surname3 = Maďa
| name3 = Patrik
| others = yes
| url = http://fblt.cz/
| title = Funkce buněk a lidského těla
| source_name = Multimediální skripta 3.LF
| cited = 2015-12-09
}}
*{{Cite
| type = book
| isbn = 978-80-246-0615-6
| surname1 = Nečas
| name1 = Emanuel
| surname2 = Šulc
| name2 = Karel
| surname3 = Vokurka
| name3 = Martin
| others = yes
| title = Patologická fyziologie orgánových systémů. Část I
| edition = 1
| location = Praha
| publisher = Karolinum
| year = 2006
| range = 377
}}
===References===
<references />
</noinclude>
[[Category:Histology]] 
[[Category:Physiology]]
[[Category:Pneumology]]