Biology: Structure of the Heart Flashcards
What forms cardiac muscle?
cardiomyocytes
What does cardiac muscle do?
contracts without need for nerve impulse to stimulate
Where is the vena cava located?
vein connected to right atrium
What is the role of the vena cava?
deoxygenated blood back from body tissues (not lungs)
Where is the aorta located?
artery connected to left ventricle
What is the role of the aorta?
oxygenated blood to all body tissues (not lungs)
Where is the pulmonary vein located?
vein connected to left atrium
What is the role of the pulmonary vein?
oxygenated blood to heart from lungs
Where is the pulmonary artery located?
artery connected to right ventricle
What is the role of the pulmonary artery?
carries deoxygenated blood to lungs from heart
What happens to deoxygenated blood at the lungs?
carbon dioxide is removed and oxygen is replenished
What is the atrium?
where blood first enters heart from veins
What does the atrium do?
thin muscular walls contract and force blood into ventricles
What are the ventricles?
where blood enters after being forced by atrium
What do the ventricles do?
thick muscular walls create force to push blood out of arteries
Why are the muscular walls of the left ventricle thicker?
to generate greater force to push blood at high pressure out of aorta and around body
Where are the atrioventricular valves located?
between atrium and ventricle
What is the function of the atrioventricular valves?
prevent back flow of blood into atria when ventricles contract. builds pressure in ventricles
Where are the semilunar valves located?
in aorta and pulmonary artery
What is the function of the semilunar valves?
prevent back flow of blood when pressure in vessels exceeds ventricular pressure
