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gaseous exchange in insects

I'm doing AQA A and all i know on this subject is that insects are covered by a waterproof cuticle with a layer of wax on its surface. Spiracles connect air to passages caled trachea. These brach into small dead end tracheoles where gaseous exchange takes place. O2 and CO2 diffuse rapidly through air in the tracheal system. Tracheoles have thin walls and together have a large surface area relative to the volume of the insect.
To me what i know seems a bit basic, is there anything else i should know?
Reply 1
Avatar for KP Nuts
KP Nuts
1
This stuff is all basic - what you know is good enough. Its like all the alveoli stuff too - a bit of common sense and you'll be fine.
Reply 2
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kat_r
OP
There was something about the tracheoles' ends being filled with liquid but i cant remember what that was all about
Reply 3
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corkskrew
2
the tracheoles extend to just about every cell in the insect body. they are always moist to allow diffusion of oxygen in solution. when a tip fills with fluid the air is unable to reach the very end, so oxygen cannot diffuse into that cell. it is thought that insects are able to control which cells are unable to receive oxygen in this way.
the air originally comes through openings in the exoskeleton called spiracles and moves down the tracheal trunk into branches called tracheal tubes, then finally into the tracheoles.

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