Heart (histo) Flashcards
Describe systemic circulation
Oxygenated blood leaves the heart to other tissues via arteries; Nutrient exchange occurs at the capillaries; Deoxygenated blood returns to the heart via veins
Describe the pulmonary circulation
Deoxygenated blood is pumped from the heart to the lungs via the pulmonary artery; oxygenated blood is pumped from the lungs to the heart via the pulmonary veins
Describe the Tunica Intima; what type of cells does it have?
It’s the innermost layer of the blood vessel; it contains a SINGLE layer of squamous epithelial cells (endothelium)
Describe the Tunica Media; what type of cells does it contain?
It is the middle layer of the blood vessel wall;
Depending on the vessel type: either circumferentially arranged smooth muscle cells or elastic lamellae; Smooth muscle cells produce the extracellular molecules of the t.media
Describe the tunica adventitia; what type of cells does it contain?
Outermost connective tissue; it consists of longitudinally arranged collagen and elastic fibers, smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts;
It may contain vasa vasorum and nervi vascularis
Where is the heart located? what surround it?
heart is located in the middle mediastinum and is surrounded by the pericardial sac
What are the layers of the pericardial sac?
- fibrous pericardium (external fibrous layer)
2. serous pericardium (parietal + visceral layers)
Describe the fibrous pericardium layer of the pericardial sac: what type of tissue is it made up of?
a dense fibroelastic CT that blends in with surrounding loose CT
Describe the parietal layer of the serous pericardium (of the pericardial sac): what type of tissue is it made up of? where is it located?
loose CT + layer of squamous epithelium (mesothelium); located between the fibrous layer and visceral layer of the pericardium
Describe the Visceral layer of the serous pericardium: what type of tissue is it made up of? where is it located?
made of loose CT + layer of squamous epithelium (mesothelium); located directly adjacent to the heart muscle layer;
called “epicardium”
where do the parietal and visceral layers of the serous pericardium meet?
at the reflexion at the base of the heart, forming a sac
where is the paricardial cavity located?
between the parietal and visceral layers of the serous pericardium
is the pericardial cavity an actual or potential space?
potential space
what is the function of the thin film of fluid found in the pericardial cavity?
to help lubricate the heart and to prevent friction during beating
what is pericarditis? what does it cause? what can it result in?
it is an inflammation of the pericardium that can cause friction between the layers and restrict beating of the heart;
it can result in pericardial effusion
what is pericardial effusion?
an abnormal collection of fluid in the pericardial cavity that interferes with the normal heart contraction and decreases the ability of the heart to effectively pump blood
Describe the path of blood flow in the heart (starting with systemic venous return)
- Deoxygenated blood returns from the body tissue via the IVC and SVC and enters the right atrium
- Deoxy blood passes through the tricuspid (right AV) valve from the right atrium to the right ventricle
- Deoxy blood pumped through the pulmonary semilunar valve to the pulmonary artery to the lungs for oxygenation
- Oxy blood leaves the lungs via the pulmonary veins and enter the left atrium
- oxy blood passes through the mitral (bicuspid, left AV) valve to the left ventricle
- Oxy blood pumped through the aortic semilunar valve to the aorta and aortic tree for systemic circulation via the arteries
- nutrient exchange occurs at the capillaries and then deoxy blood returned via veins and cycle repeats
what separates the atria?
intratrial septum
what separates the ventricles?
intraventricular septum
what separates the two atria and ventricles?
cardiac skeleton
What is the cardia skeleton? what type of tissue is it made of?
it is the central supporting structure of the heart to which some of the cardiac muscle fibers are attached and with which the valves are supported;
composed of dense Irregular CT
What is the function of the annuli fibrosi?
surrounds each of the four cardiac valves to stabilize them; the core of the valve cusps (leaflets) arise from the CT
what is the function of the Trigona fibrosi? what are they made of?
triangular islands of CT that serve to strengthen the annuli fibrosi
what is the Septum Membranaceum?
an extension of the cardiac skeleton into the interventricular septum
What are the functions of the cardiac skeleton?
- Separates the atrial musculature from the ventricular musculature
- Functions as sites of origin (points of insertion) of cardiac muscle
- Localizes and stabilizes valves
- Limits the diameter of valves
- Prevents spread of electrical impulses except via the conducting system
what are the 3 layers of the heart wall?
- epicardium (visceral pericardium)
- myocardium
- endocardium
Which layer of the heart wall is the external layer?
epicardium
what layer of the blood vessel is the epicardium analogous to?
tunica adventitia
what type of tissue/cells does the epicardium contain?
- a layer of simple squamous epithelium called mesothelium with its associated basal lamina
- CT = subepicardium: fat, collagen fibers, elastic fibers, arteries, veins, and nerves
- epicardium is the region where fat is stored in the heart; the coronary artery, cardiac veins and nerves that supply the heart are located in the CT and typically surrounded by fat
what is the middle layer of the heart wall? what does it contain?
myocardium; contains the cardiac muscle cells
what layer of the blood vessels is the myocardium analogous to?
tunica media
Describe cardiac muscle cells
one or two nuclei, packed with myofibrils and large mitochondria and connect to each other via extensive intercalated discs
what do intercalated discs consist of?
- Fasica adherens
- Desmosomes
- Gap junctions
What is the function of fascia adherens? how do they perform this function?
connect 2 cardia muscle cells via a junction binding to actin thin filaments in each cell