Introduction to the Human Heart
The human heart is one of the most important organs responsible for sustaining life. It is a muscular
organ with four chambers. The size of the heart is the size of about a clenched fist.
The human heart functions throughout a person’s lifespan and is one of the most robust and hardest
working muscles in the human body.
Besides humans, most other animals also possess a heart that pumps blood throughout their bodies.
Even invertebrates such as grasshoppers possess a heart like pumping organ, though they do not
function the same way a human heart does.
Also Refer: Human Circulatory System
Position of Heart in Human Body
The human heart is located between the lungs in the thoracic cavity, slightly towards the left of the
sternum (breastbone). It is derived from the embryonic mesodermal germ layer.
The Function of Heart
The function of the heart in any organism is to maintain a constant flow of blood throughout the
body. This replenishes oxygen and circulates nutrients among the cells and tissues.
Following are the main functions of the heart:
One of the primary functions of the human heart is to pump blood throughout the body.
Blood delivers oxygen, hormones, glucose and other components to various parts of the
body, including the human heart.
The heart also ensures that adequate blood pressure is maintained in the body
There are two types of circulation within the body, namely pulmonary circulation and systemic
circulation.
, Pulmonary circulation (blue) and Systemic circulation (red)
Types of Circulation
Pulmonary circulation is a portion of circulation responsible for carrying deoxygenated
blood away from the heart, to the lungs and then bringing oxygenated blood back to the
heart.
Systemic circulation is another portion of circulation where the oxygenated blood is
pumped from the heart to every organ and tissue in the body, and deoxygenated blood
comes back again to the heart.
Now, the heart itself is a muscle and therefore, it needs a constant supply of oxygenated blood. This
is where another type of circulation comes into play, the coronary circulation.
Coronary circulation is an essential portion of the circulation, where oxygenated blood is
supplied to the heart. This is important as the heart is responsible for supplying blood
throughout the body.
Moreover, organs like the brain need a steady flow of fresh, oxygenated blood to ensure
functionality.
In a nutshell, the circulatory system plays a vital role in supplying oxygen, and nutrients and
removing carbon dioxide and other wastes from the body. Let us gain a deeper insight into the
various anatomical structures of the heart:
Structure of the Human Heart
The human heart is about the size of a human fist and is divided into four chambers, namely two
ventricles and two atria. The ventricles are the chambers that pump blood and the atrium are the
chambers that receive blood. Among these both the right atrium and ventricle make up the “right
The human heart is one of the most important organs responsible for sustaining life. It is a muscular
organ with four chambers. The size of the heart is the size of about a clenched fist.
The human heart functions throughout a person’s lifespan and is one of the most robust and hardest
working muscles in the human body.
Besides humans, most other animals also possess a heart that pumps blood throughout their bodies.
Even invertebrates such as grasshoppers possess a heart like pumping organ, though they do not
function the same way a human heart does.
Also Refer: Human Circulatory System
Position of Heart in Human Body
The human heart is located between the lungs in the thoracic cavity, slightly towards the left of the
sternum (breastbone). It is derived from the embryonic mesodermal germ layer.
The Function of Heart
The function of the heart in any organism is to maintain a constant flow of blood throughout the
body. This replenishes oxygen and circulates nutrients among the cells and tissues.
Following are the main functions of the heart:
One of the primary functions of the human heart is to pump blood throughout the body.
Blood delivers oxygen, hormones, glucose and other components to various parts of the
body, including the human heart.
The heart also ensures that adequate blood pressure is maintained in the body
There are two types of circulation within the body, namely pulmonary circulation and systemic
circulation.
, Pulmonary circulation (blue) and Systemic circulation (red)
Types of Circulation
Pulmonary circulation is a portion of circulation responsible for carrying deoxygenated
blood away from the heart, to the lungs and then bringing oxygenated blood back to the
heart.
Systemic circulation is another portion of circulation where the oxygenated blood is
pumped from the heart to every organ and tissue in the body, and deoxygenated blood
comes back again to the heart.
Now, the heart itself is a muscle and therefore, it needs a constant supply of oxygenated blood. This
is where another type of circulation comes into play, the coronary circulation.
Coronary circulation is an essential portion of the circulation, where oxygenated blood is
supplied to the heart. This is important as the heart is responsible for supplying blood
throughout the body.
Moreover, organs like the brain need a steady flow of fresh, oxygenated blood to ensure
functionality.
In a nutshell, the circulatory system plays a vital role in supplying oxygen, and nutrients and
removing carbon dioxide and other wastes from the body. Let us gain a deeper insight into the
various anatomical structures of the heart:
Structure of the Human Heart
The human heart is about the size of a human fist and is divided into four chambers, namely two
ventricles and two atria. The ventricles are the chambers that pump blood and the atrium are the
chambers that receive blood. Among these both the right atrium and ventricle make up the “right
