Chapter 15 - The respiratory system of the non-human primate

Abstract

The respiratory system is a complex association of organs and anatomic structures, responsible for the vital function of gas exchanges, bringing oxygen to the blood and removing the carbon dioxide from it. This complexity is more evident in the upper part of the respiratory system with a large diversity in anatomical structures across species; further down into the bronchi and lung, species-specific anatomical variations are less evident, yet still exist. The knowledge of those differences is important, when dealing with toxicological changes in the respiratory system, and of paramount importance in inhalation studies. The use of non-human primates (NHP) in toxicology has been increasing in the past decades, in line with the expansion of biologics in the therapeutic area of inhalation, which often requires NHP as the pharmacologically relevant species to be tested. The exposure to the external environment and to the internal blood circulation makes the respiratory system particularly prone to develop lesions, spontaneously or due to administered materials. The lesions can range from degenerative to inflammatory as well as to proliferative.