The parts and functions of the heart and its chambers and valves can be understood after observing a detailed heart diagram. The heart is the pumping organ of the body that receives deoxygenated blood from different parts of the body, sends it to the lungs and distributes oxygenated blood to the different parts of the body.
The circulatory system is my favorite system in the body. Though we often metaphorically refer to the heart as a reservoir of our emotions, the heart is the pumping organ of our body that regulates flow of blood in the body. The human heart, network of blood vessels spread across the body, the method of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, etc. simply fascinates me! It's really interesting to learn about the entire mechanism taking place behind the pumping sound of each heartbeat. After all if the heart misses even one beat, we end up in the hospital bed or sometimes directly in our grave! Thus, even if don't understand the working of the heart, we are all familiar with its importance to our body. Referring to a detailed heart diagram helps understand the heart, its parts and its working. Even though the diagram alongside is not a labeled, detailed representation, let's use our abstract thinking abilities and try and visualize the parts. Read more on cardiovascular system function.
Parts of the Heart and Functions
Heart bears semblance to an upside down pear and is slightly larger than the size of one's fist. Situated between the lungs in the middle of the chest, the heart beats 72 times a minute to pump blood. It is covered by a double membrane called the pericardium, whose outer layer is attached to different parts like the diaphragm, spinal cord, etc. via ligaments. The inner layer of the double membrane is attached to the heart muscles. The pericardial fluid separates these two layers of the pericardium.
Atria and Ventricles
The heart consists of four chambers as one can observe in the heart diagram alongside. They are known as atria and ventricles. In the detailed heart diagram, you can observe that one side of the heart is blue, while the other side is colored in red. We will find out the reason for the color later on. For now, understand that the left atria and right atria are the two lower chambers of the heart, while the left and right ventricles are the upper chambers of the heart. These chambers are separated from one another by a muscle wall called septum. Of all the chambers, the left ventricle is the strongest and largest chamber in the heart, so you can call it the king of heart chambers.
Valves
The next important part of the heart is the valve. The heart features four types of valves in the heart: tricuspid valve, bicuspid valve, pulmonary valve and the aortic valve. The primary role of any of these valves is regulating blood flow through the heart. Their functions are more or less similar to the gates of a dam. These valves permit the flow of blood only in one direction and prevent back flow of blood. Read more on how does the circulatory system work.
The difference between these individual valves would be their location. The tricuspid valve separates the right atrium from the right ventricle, and as blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle, this valve prevents back flow of blood into the right atrium. Similarly, the bicuspid valve separates the left ventricle from the left atrium and prevents back flow of blood into the ventricle. The pulmonary valve separates the right ventricle from the left pulmonary artery and stops back flow of blood from the left pulmonary artery to the right ventricle. The aortic valve present between left ventricle and aorta and controls flow of blood from the ventricle to other parts of the body. Read more on anatomy of the human heart.
Blood Vessels
An extensive network of blood vessels is spread across the body. There are two kind of blood vessel networks. One is with the arteries, while the other includes the veins. Although arteries and veins are blood vessels, they have a major difference. Arteries carry oxygenated blood (except pulmonary artery) from the lungs via the heart to different parts of the body, while veins carry deoxygenated blood (except pulmonary vein) from different parts of the body to the lungs via the heart. Moreover, arteries have muscular walls which help them pump blood. Veins on the other hand do not pump blood, but only transport dexoygenated blood. Read more on how does the heart work.
Blood Flow Through The Heart
Deoxgenated blood from various parts of the body is collected by some major veins (superior vena cava and inferior vena cava) and emptied into the right atrium. Blood then flows into the right ventricle under the control of the tricuspid valve. Under the control of the pulmonary valve, blood flows from the right ventricle to the left pulmonary artery which leads to the lungs. This dexoxygenated blood is purified in the lungs and oxygen rich blood is sent back to the heart via the pulmonary vein. To see the heart anatomy diagram, read: a labeled diagram of the human heart.
The pulmonary vein empties this oxygenated blood into the left atrium, which then flows into the left ventricle under the control of the bicuspid valve. The left ventricle then uses its strong muscular power to pump blood into the aorta with the help of the aortic valve that prevents back flow of blood. The aorta branches out into the body and sends oxygenated blood to different parts. In the detailed diagram of the heart, the blue color stands for deoxgenated blood and the red color stands for oxygenated blood.
Read more on:
- How Does the Heart Pump Blood
- Heart Health
Priya Johnson
Published: 1/27/2010