the structure and function of the heart Flashcards
what are the atrioventricular valves
valves between the atria and the ventricles which ensure blood flows in the right direction
what is cardiac muscle
specialised muscles found in the walls of the heart chamber
what are semilunar valves
valves that prevent blood re entering the heart from the arteries
what is the heart and where is it located
the heart is a muscular organ located between the lungs in the centre of the chest (thorax) it continuously pumps blood around the body
what can happen if the brain is deprived of blood
an organism can lose consciousness within a few seconds
when does the heart begin to beat in a foetus
about 5-6 weeks after conception
how many pumps does the heart have
two
describe the two pumps
- deoxygenated blood from the body flows into the right side of the heart which pumps it to the lungs to be oxygenated
- oxygenated blood from the lungs returns to the left side of the heart which pumps it to the rest of the body
do the blood from the two sides mix
no
what happens on both sides of the heart
the heart squeezes the blood putting it under pressure
what does blood pressure do
forces the blood along the arteries and through the circulatory system
where is the heart located in humans
just off centre towards the left of the chest cavity
what does the main part of the heart consist of
cardiac muscle
how does cardiac muscle contract
involuntarily like smooth muscle and does not get fatigued like skeletal muscle
what is the function of the cardiac muscle
contracts and relaxes in a regular rhythm
what is the structure of the cardiac muscle
- made up of cells that are conncected by cytoplasmic bridges - consists of fibres that branch producing cross-bridges
- numerous mitochondria
- muscle cells are separated by intercalated discs
- each cell has a nucleus and is divided into contractile units called sacromeres
- contains large numbers of myoglobin molecules
what is the function of the cytoplasmic bridges
enable electrical impulses to pass through tissues
what does the mitochondria do for the cardiac muscle
supply energy for contraction
what do the intercalated discs do
facilitate synchronised contraction
what supplies the cardiac muscle with oxygenated blood
the coronary arteries
what is the heart surrounded by
inelastic pericordial membranes which help prevent the heart from over distending with blood
how many chambers does the heart have
4
what are the two main pumping chambers
the ventricles
what are above the ventricles
the two main thin walled chambers - the atria