THE HEART
Dr. Ali Ebneshahidi
Functions is of the heart & blood vesels
1. The heart is an essential pumping organ in the cardiovascular system where the right heart
pumps deoxygenated blood (returned from body tissues) to the lungs for gas exchange, while
the left heart pumps oxygenated blood (returned from the lungs) to tissues cells for sustaining
cellular respiration.
2. Attached to the heart is blood vessels that transport blood in various circulation pathways -
pulmonary blood vessels transport blood between the heart and the lungs, and systemic
blood vessels transport blood between the heart and body tissues.
© Ebneshahidi (edited)
, artery
Brachiocephalic trunk Left subclavian artery
Aortic arch
Superior vena cava Ligamentum arteriosum
Right pulmonary artery Left pulmonary artery
Ascending aorta Left pulmonary veins
Pulmonary trunk
Auricle of
left atrium
Right pulmonary veins Circumflex artery
Right atrium
Left coronary artery
(in coronary sulcus)
Right coronary artery
(in coronary sulcus)
LeN ventricle
Anterior cardiac vein
Right ventricle Great cardiac vein
Right marginal artery Anterior interventricular
artery (in anterior
Small cardiac vein interventricular sulcus)
Inferior vena cava Apex
(b) Anterior view
.
© Ebneshahidi (edited)
, Heart chambers
Hollow cavities within the heart for containing blood.
Two smaller chambers called atrium are near the base, and two larger chambers called ventricle are
close to the apex.
Right atrium (RA) after receiving deoxygenated blood from body tissues through the superior and
inferior vena cava, pumps the blood into the right ventricle (RV) via the right atria ventricular orifice.
RV then pumps the blood to the lungs for gas exchange, through the pulmonary trunk and arteries.
Left atrium (LA) after receiving oxygenated blood from the lungs through the pulmonary veins,
pumps the blood into the left ventricle (LV) via the left atria ventricular orifice.
LV then pumps the blood to the body tissues for supplying oxygen to every body cell, through the
aorta.
RA and LA are separated by a central heart wall called interatrial septum, while RV and LV are
separated by interventricular septum.
LV has a thicker myocardium layer (for stronger contractions) and contains rough ridges called
trabeculae carneae (for containing a larger blood volume in exercising conditions).
Note: Coronary arteries (from the first branching of aorta) supply oxygenated blood to the cardiac
muscle.
© Ebneshahidi (edited)
, Heart Valves
Two heart valves located between atria and ventricles are called atrioventricular valves (AV
valves) which include the tricuspid valve between RA and RV, and bicuspid valve (or mitral
valve) between LA and LV.
Two heart valves located at the exiting arteries are called semilunar valves (SL valves) which
include the plumonic semilunar valve at the base of pulmonary trunk, and the aortic
semilunar valve at the base of aorta.
Each AV valve consists of cusps (extensions of endocradium), chordae tendineae, and
papillary muscles (the latter two are designed to prevent eversion of the cusps into the atria).
AV valves prevent backflow into atria, while SL valves prevent backflow into ventricles.
© Ebneshahidi (edited)
Dr. Ali Ebneshahidi
Functions is of the heart & blood vesels
1. The heart is an essential pumping organ in the cardiovascular system where the right heart
pumps deoxygenated blood (returned from body tissues) to the lungs for gas exchange, while
the left heart pumps oxygenated blood (returned from the lungs) to tissues cells for sustaining
cellular respiration.
2. Attached to the heart is blood vessels that transport blood in various circulation pathways -
pulmonary blood vessels transport blood between the heart and the lungs, and systemic
blood vessels transport blood between the heart and body tissues.
© Ebneshahidi (edited)
, artery
Brachiocephalic trunk Left subclavian artery
Aortic arch
Superior vena cava Ligamentum arteriosum
Right pulmonary artery Left pulmonary artery
Ascending aorta Left pulmonary veins
Pulmonary trunk
Auricle of
left atrium
Right pulmonary veins Circumflex artery
Right atrium
Left coronary artery
(in coronary sulcus)
Right coronary artery
(in coronary sulcus)
LeN ventricle
Anterior cardiac vein
Right ventricle Great cardiac vein
Right marginal artery Anterior interventricular
artery (in anterior
Small cardiac vein interventricular sulcus)
Inferior vena cava Apex
(b) Anterior view
.
© Ebneshahidi (edited)
, Heart chambers
Hollow cavities within the heart for containing blood.
Two smaller chambers called atrium are near the base, and two larger chambers called ventricle are
close to the apex.
Right atrium (RA) after receiving deoxygenated blood from body tissues through the superior and
inferior vena cava, pumps the blood into the right ventricle (RV) via the right atria ventricular orifice.
RV then pumps the blood to the lungs for gas exchange, through the pulmonary trunk and arteries.
Left atrium (LA) after receiving oxygenated blood from the lungs through the pulmonary veins,
pumps the blood into the left ventricle (LV) via the left atria ventricular orifice.
LV then pumps the blood to the body tissues for supplying oxygen to every body cell, through the
aorta.
RA and LA are separated by a central heart wall called interatrial septum, while RV and LV are
separated by interventricular septum.
LV has a thicker myocardium layer (for stronger contractions) and contains rough ridges called
trabeculae carneae (for containing a larger blood volume in exercising conditions).
Note: Coronary arteries (from the first branching of aorta) supply oxygenated blood to the cardiac
muscle.
© Ebneshahidi (edited)
, Heart Valves
Two heart valves located between atria and ventricles are called atrioventricular valves (AV
valves) which include the tricuspid valve between RA and RV, and bicuspid valve (or mitral
valve) between LA and LV.
Two heart valves located at the exiting arteries are called semilunar valves (SL valves) which
include the plumonic semilunar valve at the base of pulmonary trunk, and the aortic
semilunar valve at the base of aorta.
Each AV valve consists of cusps (extensions of endocradium), chordae tendineae, and
papillary muscles (the latter two are designed to prevent eversion of the cusps into the atria).
AV valves prevent backflow into atria, while SL valves prevent backflow into ventricles.
© Ebneshahidi (edited)
