Alveolus. gas exchange. Pulmonary alveolus. alveoli and capillaries in the lungs.
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A pulmonary alveolus is one of millions of hollow, distensible cup-shaped cavities in the lungs where pulmonary gas exchange takes place. Oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide at the blood–air barrier between the alveolar air and the pulmonary capillary. Alveoli make up the functional tissue of the mammalian lungs known as the lung parenchyma, which takes up 90 percent of the total lung volume.
The coordinated functioning of the alveoli and the bronchial tree is critical for efficient gas exchange and maintaining proper oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream. Inhaling oxygen-rich air into the lungs and exhaling carbon dioxide-laden air is essential for sustaining life and providing the body with the oxygen necessary for cellular respiration and energy production.