Final answer:
Alveolar pores connect adjacent alveoli ensuring equal air pressure and preventing alveolar collapse, essential for efficient gas exchange and maintaining lung integrity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The alveoli are the small, grape-like structures in the lungs where gas exchange takes place. Each alveolus is connected to neighboring alveoli via alveolar pores. These pores play a crucial role in maintaining equal air pressure throughout the alveoli, facilitating efficient gas exchange. With a large surface area of approximately 75 m² and a very thin wall (typically one-cell thick), alveoli allow for the rapid diffusion of gases such as oxygen into the blood and carbon dioxide out of the blood.
The presence of alveolar pores ensures that if one alveolus becomes partially deflated or blocked, air can still be redistributed to equalize pressure. This is essential for preventing alveolar collapse and maintaining the structural integrity of the lung tissue. Additionally, the surfactant on the walls of alveoli helps in reducing surface tension, further stabilizing the alveoli during the process of breathing.