Imiphunga

Umphunga yi-organ ekuyo nayiphi na ii-vertebrate (izilwanyana ezinomnqonqo, okanye ithambo lomqolo). Ngumphunga onika igazi i-oxygen evela emoyeni, uze umke ne-carbon dioxide. Uninzi lwee-vertebrates lunemiphuna emi-2.

Kwizilwanyana, imiphunga ziyindawo apho kutshintshatshintshana khona ii-gesi. Ngaphandle kokuthsintshatshintshana kwee-gesi, ioksijini esuka emiphungeni  ayinakugqitha iye kungena egazini ngako oko ii-cells zomzimba fazinakuyifumana i-oksijini efuneka xa kusenzeka i-respiration (kuphefumlwa). 

Ii-alveoli zifumile ukuze zivumele i-oksijini ukuba ihambe isuke kwimiphunga ihamba kwangazo ii-alveoli iye kungena kwimithambo yegazi engoonobuyisa nakwii-cells zegazi elibomvu. I-Carbon dioxide idlula ivela egazini iye kungena kwii-alveoli. I-oksijini ithi yakubaninzi egazini ihambe ibuyele entliziyweni ize ke yona i-carbon dioxide ekwi-alveoli ityhilizelwe ngaphandle kwemiphunga ibe ngumoya esiwuphefumlela ngaphandle. 

Imiphunga yeentaka ayinayo i-alveoli, endaweni yoko zinezigidi ngezigidi zee-para-bronchi. Ezi-para-bronchi ziphela kwiintwana ezincinane zee-capillaries okanye kwiimfikimfelane zemithambo yegazi zize zigqithe kufuphi nemithambo yomzimba ethwala igazi, ukuze i-diffusion ikwazi ukwenzeka zitsho zitshintshiselane ii-oksijini ne-carbon dioxide. I-oksijini ne-carbon dioxide kwimiphunga yeentaka zisoloko zisasazeka egazini nangaphandle kulo, akunjalo kwizilwanyana ezanyisayo kuba i-diffusion yenzeka kuphela kwi-alveoli.

Imiphunga yesirhubuluzi iman'ukuvuleka iphinde ivaleke ngenxa yeembambo ezisijikelezileyo nezisicinezelela phantsi ziphinde zivuleke ngoncedo lwezihlunu zaso.  Isibindi sisoloko sincamathele apha kumazantsi emiphunga size sithi ke isihlunu esincamathele esibindini sityhale,  naso ke isibindi sisuka kwimiphunga siyityhala, itsho ibemikhudlwana kunangaphambi kokuba ityhalwe. 

Imiphunga yesele ilula kakhulu xa ithelekiswa neminye imiphunga emininzi,  iziibhaluni nje, ezinobumanzi ngaphandle ezivumela ukusasazeka komoya eziwuphefumlayo. Kodwa amasele akahambahambi kangako, ngako oko ke azidingi oksijini ininzi, kodwa asenokuyithatha i-oksijini ngesikhumba sawo esimanzi manzi ngaphandle xa kukho imfuneko ye-oksijini eninzi.  (umzekelo, xa esilwa okanye etsiba-tsiba ebaleka).