What is the function of the lungs in the pig?
Just like all mammals, the pig uses its lungs to breathe. The lungs are organs essential to survival, as they take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide.FunctionWhen the pig breathes in, air flows down the trachea and into the lungs. The air arrives in tiny sacs called alveoli where blood vessels are waiting to take the oxygen away.SignificanceOnce the oxygen is removed from the inhaled air, the lungs then expel carbon dioxide up the trachea and out via the nose and mouth.DefenseLungs also help protect the pig’s body from disease. When inhaled, these viruses and bacteria are trapped in the lungs by mucus, making it easier for the white blood cells to kill them off.PotentialAccording to a report on Fox News, doctors may be able to replace human lungs with pig lungs in transplant operations as soon as 2015.WarningAccording to the South African Department of Agriculture, pig lungs are quite small.
