What is the outer surface of the heart called

A double-layered membrane called the pericardium surrounds your heart like a sac. The outer layer of the pericardium surrounds the roots of your heart’s major blood vessels and is attached by ligaments to your spinal column, diaphragm, and other parts of your body.

What is the surface of the heart formed by?

The sternocostal surface of the heart is directed anteriorly, superiorly and slightly to the left. It is formed by the left, right, superior and inferior borders of the heart. It consists of the anterior surfaces of the: right atrium: to the right and superior to the anterior atrioventricular groove.

What is the function of the epicardium?

The epicardium is a mesothelial cell layer which contributes to the coronary vessels and myocardium and acts as an important source of trophic signals to maintain continued growth and differentiation of the developing heart.

What is the diaphragmatic surface of heart?

The diaphragmatic surface of the heart, directed downward and slightly backward, is formed by the ventricles, and rests upon the central tendon and a small part of the left muscular portion of the diaphragm.

What is another name for the epicardium?

The inner part of the pericardium that closely envelops the heart is, as stated, the epicardium; it is also called the visceral pericardium.

Is epicardium the same as visceral pericardium?

The visceral serous pericardium, also known as the epicardium, covers the myocardium of the heart and can be considered its serosa. It is largely made of a mesothelium overlying some elastin-rich loose connective tissue.

What forms the inferior surface of the heart?

The diaphragmatic surface (inferior surface), directed downward and slightly backward, is formed by the ventricles, and rests upon the central tendon and a small part of the left muscular portion of the diaphragm.

What are the four surfaces of the heart?

  • Right border – Right atrium.
  • Inferior border – Left ventricle and right ventricle.
  • Left border – Left ventricle (and some of the left atrium)
  • Superior border – Right and left atrium and the great vessels.

What attaches to the surface of the heart?

The great veins, the superior and inferior venae cavae, and the great arteries, the aorta and pulmonary trunk, are attached to the superior surface of the heart, called the base. The base of the heart is located at the level of the third costal cartilage, as seen in Figure 1.

What is anterior surface?

the surface of a structure or part of the body that faces forward.

Article first time published on

Why is the endocardium important?

First, the endocardium provides a smooth surface for the inside of the heart. This smooth surface allows blood to freely flow along the tissues. This is very important. Without this layer, blood components could stick to the walls of the heart and cause damage to the tissues or even lead to blockages.

What does right atrium mean?

Right atrium: one of the four chambers of the heart. The right atrium receives blood low in oxygen from the body and then empties the blood into the right ventricle.

Where is the epicardium attached?

The outer layer of the heart wall is the epicardium. The epicardium refers to both the outer layer of the heart and the inner layer of the serous visceral pericardium, which is attached to the outer wall of the heart.

What is the epicardium myocardium and endocardium?

The heart wall is divided into three layers: epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. Epicardium: the outer protective layer of the heart. Myocardium: muscular middle layer wall of the heart. Endocardium: the inner layer of the heart.

What is pericardium and epicardium?

The pericardium is a dual-layered structure enveloping the heart and proximal great vessels. It consists of an inner visceral pericardium (also called the epicardium when in contact with the myocardium), and an outer parietal pericardium, composed of layers of collagen fibrils and elastin fibers.

What is meant by endocardium?

Definition of endocardium : a thin serous membrane lining the cavities of the heart.

What are the three surfaces of the heart?

  • posterior surface (base) directed upward, backward and to the right. …
  • apex. directed downward, forward and to the left. …
  • anterior (sternocostal) surface. directed forward, upward and to the left. …
  • inferior (diaphragmatic) surface. …
  • right surface. …
  • left (pulmonary) surface.

What does inferior surface mean?

situated below, or directed downward; in anatomy, used in reference to the lower surface of a structure, or to the lower of two (or more) similar structures.

What surface groove separates the right and left ventricles?

Shallow grooves called the interventricular sulci, containing blood vessels, mark the separation between ventricles on the front and back surfaces of the heart. There are two grooves on the external surface of the heart. One, the atrioventricular groove, is along the line where the right atrium and the right…

What is the name of the cardiac layer that is the strongest?

The myocardium is functionally the main constituent of the heart and the thickest layer of all three heart layers. It is a muscle layer that enables heart contractions.

What is the top two chambers of the heart?

The upper chambers, the right and left atria, receive incoming blood. The lower chambers, the more muscular right and left ventricles, pump blood out of the heart.

What is the difference between myocardium endocardium and pericardium?

Furthermore, the myocardium is responsible for heart contractions while pericardium is responsible for the protection of the heart. Epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium are the three layers of the wall of the heart while pericardium is the membrane that surrounds the heart.

Which of the following surfaces take part in forming the diaphragmatic surface of the heart?

The heart in its anatomical position rests on the diaphragmatic surface, which is a flat surface. It is faced inferiorly and lies on the diaphragm. This surface is formed by the right ventricle and a small part of the left ventricle separated by the posterior interventricular groove.

What are the 12 parts of the heart?

  • Left atrium and auricle. Left atrium. Left auricle.
  • Right atrium and auricle. Right atrium. Right auricle.
  • Interventricular septum and septal papillary muscles. Interventricular septum. …
  • Right ventricle and papillary muscles. Right ventricle. …
  • Left ventricle and papillary muscles. Left ventricle.

Where is the anterior surface of the body?

Anterior (or ventral) describes the front or direction toward the front of the body. The toes are anterior to the foot. Posterior (or dorsal) describes the back or direction toward the back of the body.

What is the anterior surface of the arm?

The anterior compartment is located in front of the humerus, the main bone of the upper arms. The muscles of the anterior compartment include: Biceps brachii. Often referred to as the biceps, this muscle contains two heads that start at the front and back of the shoulder before joining together at the elbow.

What does medial side mean?

Medial means toward the middle or center. It is the opposite of lateral. The term is used to describe general positions of body parts. For example, the chest is medial to the arm.

How does endocardium get blood?

In teleosts, the endocardial cells are supplied primarily by the venous blood from the intertrabecular spaces of the ventricular lumen; whereas, the epicardium is nourished by discrete coronary arteries providing oxygenated blood (Tota, 1989).

What is the endocardium made of?

The ventricular endocardium is composed of five distinct layers: the endothelial layer, the inner connective tissue layer, the elastic tissue layer, the smooth muscle cell layer, and the outer connective tissue layer or subendocardial layer.

How thick is the endocardium?

The endocardium which covers the papillary muscle has a thickness of 0.5 micron.

What is left atrium?

Left atrium: one of the four chambers of the heart. The left atrium receives blood full of oxygen from the lungs and then empties the blood into the left ventricle.

You Might Also Like