Fetal Pig: Heart Anatomy

Heart

-Multi-chambered, muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body

-anchored and protected by pericardium (a sac of connective tissue)

-also a layer of fat

-wall consists of cardiac muscle cells and chambers/blood vessels are lined with endothelium

-lies in thoracic cavity (center of chest between lungs)

Right Atrium

-the chamber of the heart where deoxygenated blood is received from the vena cava and then sent to the right ventricle

Left Atrium

-chamber that receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and sends it to the left ventricle

Right Ventricle

-the chamber of the heart that receives venous blood from the right atrium and pumps it into the pulmonary artery

Left Ventricle

-the chamber of the heart that receives arterial blood from the left atrium and pumps it into the aorta

Aorta

-largest artery in the body

-conducts freshly oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the tissues

Superior Vena Cava

-brings oxygen poor blood from the upper part of the body to the right atrium (head and arms)

Inferior Vena Cava

-brings oxygen poor blood from the lower part of the body to the right atrium (trunk and legs)

Pulmonary Arteries (R+L)

-branches from the pulmonary trunk that carries blood to lungs from the right ventricle (R→R + L→L)

Pulmonary Veins (R+L)

-carries oxygen rich blood from lungs to left atrium (R from R lung etc)

Right Atrioventricular (tricuspid) Valve

-a pressure sensitive valve that controls the flow of blood from the Right Atrium to the Right Ventricle (High pressure = open; Low pressure = close)

-prevents blood from moving backward

Left Atrioventricular (Bicuspid/Mitral) Valve

-a pressure sensitive valve that controls the flow of blood from the Left Atrium to the Left Ventricle

(HP=open; LP=close)

-prevents blood from moving backward

Aortic Valves

-a pressure sensitive valve that controls the flow of blood from the Left Ventricle to the Aorta

Pulmonary Valves

-a pressure sensitive valve that controls the flow of blood from the Right Ventricle to the Pulmonary Trunk

Coronary Arteries

-blood vessel running diagonally down the ventral side of the heart from its upper left to lower right that supplies blood to the heart muscle

-separates the two ventricles

Coronary Veins

-drain blood from the muscular tissue of the heart and empty it into the coronary sinus (which is between the left atrium and ventricle)

Thymus

What does it have to do with the circulatory system???

-a gland located near the heart

-secretes thymosins to help T lymphocytes (infection fighting white blood cells) mature

-when hit puberty, shrinks due to sex hormones