The Heart

Functions of the Heart

The heart works in conjunction with

cardiovascular centers and peripheral
blood vessels to achieve this goal
The function of the heart

Generates blood pressure to produce a

gradient that pushes blood through the

vascular system
Regulates blood supply - changes in
contraction rate & force match blood
delivery to metabolic needs
Routes blood, ensuring one-way blood
flow, separates pulmonary and
systemic circulations

The Heart

Heart typically weighs

250350 grams (healthy
heart)
A muscular double pump

Pulmonary circuit
takes blood to and from
the lungs
Systemic circuit
vessels transport blood
to and from body tissues

Location and Orientation within the Thorax

Largest organ of the

mediastinum

Located between
the lungs
Apex lies to the
left of the midline
Base is the broad
posterior surface

Figure 18.2

Structure of the Heart

Right and left atria - Superior chambers, receive blood from the pulmonary
and systemic circuits
Right and left ventricles - Inferior chambers, the pumping chambers of the
heart
External markings
Left/right auricles
Apex
Internal Structures
Interventricular septa
Fossa ovalis

Chambers
Right Atrium

Forms right border of heart

Receives blood from systemic

circuit
Fossa ovalis - depression in
interatrial septum, remnant of
foramen ovale

Right Ventricle

Receives blood from right atrium

through the tricuspid valve (right

atrioventricular valve)
Pumps blood into pulmonary
circuit via the pulmonary
semilunar valve into pulmonary
trunk
Internal walls of right ventricle
Trabeculae carneae
Papillary muscles
Chordae tendineae

Chambers
Left atrium

Makes up hearts posterior

surface
Receives oxygen-rich blood
from lungs
Opens into the left ventricle
through the Mitral valve (left
atrioventricular valve)

Left Ventricle

Forms apex of the heart

Internal walls of left ventricle
Trabeculae carneae
Papillary muscles
Chordae tendineae

Pumps blood through

systemic circuit via the Aortic

semilunar valve (aortic valve)

Heart Valves Valve Structure

Each valve composed of endocardium with

connective tissue core
Atrioventricular (AV)
valves between atria and
ventricles
Aortic and pulmonary
valves at junction of
ventricles and great arteries

Function of the Atrioventricular Valves

Figure 18.9a

Function of the Semilunar Valves

Figure 18.10a, b

Structure of the Heart Coverings

Pericardium two primary layers

Fibrous pericardium - strong layer of dense connective tissue

Serous pericardium -formed from two layers

Parietal pericardium
Visceral pericardium
Pericardial cavity

Structure of the Heart Layers of the Heart Wall

Epicardium - Visceral layer of the serous pericardium

Myocardium
Consists of cardiac muscle
Muscle arranged in circular and spiral patterns
Endocardium
Endothelium resting on a layer of connective tissue
Lines the internal walls of the heart

Structure of Heart Wall

Walls differ in thickness

Atria thin walls
Ventricles thick walls
Left ventricle three times thicker
than right
Exerts more pumping force
Flattens right ventricle into a
crescent shape
Systemic circuit

Longer than pulmonary circuit

Offers greater resistance to blood
flow

Blood Flow Through the Heart

Beginning with oxygen-poor blood in the

superior and inferior venae cavae
Go through pulmonary and systemic
circuits
A blood drop passes through all
structures sequentially

Figure 18.6

Cardiac Muscle Tissue

Forms a thick layer called myocardium

Striated like skeletal muscle
Contractions pump blood through the heart and into blood vessels
Contracts by sliding filament mechanism
Cardiac muscle cells
Short
Branching
Have one or two nuclei

Cardiac Muscle Tissue

Cells join at intercalated discs

Complex junctions
Form cellular networks

Cells are separated by delicate endomysium

Binds adjacent cardiac fibers

Contains blood vessels and nerves

Electrical Activity of Heart

Heart beats rhythmically as result of action potentials it

generates by itself (autorhythmicity)

Two specialized types of cardiac muscle cells

Contractile cells
99% of cardiac muscle cells
Do mechanical work of pumping
Normally do not initiate own action potentials

Autorhythmic cells
Do not contract
Specialized for initiating and conducting action potentials
responsible for contraction of working cells

Cardiac Conduction System

SA node ~ 75 bpm - sets the pace of the heartbeat

AV node ~ 50 bpm - delays the transmission of action potentials
Purkinje fibers ~ 30 bpm - can act as pacemakers under some

conditions

70-80/min

40-60/min

20-40/min