Confidential - International University of the Health Sciences

Heart Histology

January 2012
Dr. White, Ph.D.
Heart Histology
Heart walls
Contain/within the walls
Cardiac muscle
Fibrous skeleton
Impulse-conducting system
3 layers make up the walls
Epicardium
Myocardium
Endocardium
Dr. White, Ph.D.
Heart Histology
Epicardium
Faces pericardial space
Serous membrane
Simple squamous epithelium covering
Connective tissue
Adipocytes
Coronary vessels
Nerves
Heart Histology
Myocardium
Cardiac muscle with
connective tissue &
blood vessels

Myocardium of
ventricles is thicker
than that of the atria
X1000 blue arrows are capillaries
Heart Histology
Endocardium
Gartner pg 162 & 163 figure 1 x 132
Continuous with tunica intima
of blood vessels
3 layers
Simple squamous epithelium &
subendothelial CT
Middle layer of dense
collagenous & elastic fibers (even
some smooth muscle cells)
Borders myocardium composde
of looser CT with blood vessels
Heart Histology
Fibrous skeleton
4 fibrous rings surrounding
valve openings
- Tricuspid
- Pulmonary
- Mitral
- Aortic
2 fibrous trigones connecting
the rings
Membranous part of the
interventricular & interatrial
septa
Heart Histology
Fibrous skeleton cardiac muscle and valve leaflets attach here

Outer layer of heart: epicardium plus underlying loose CT
Myocardium
Heart Histology
Endocardium:
Endothelium simple squamous
Subendocardial dense CT with elastic fibers, smooth muscle
Subendocardium areolar ct with vessels nerves and conducting system
Heart Histology
Left ventricle H and E medium power
Lumen



Endocardium





Myocardium
Heart Histology
Left ventricle H and E medium power
Myocardium









Epicardial fat





Epicardial coronary
artery
Heart Histology
Medium power High power
Longitudinal sections of myocardium
Heart Histology
Cardiac muscle cells; central nucleus, joined by
Intercalated disks (arrow)
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
Atrial myocytes:
Smaller than ventricle
Less extensive t-tubule system,
more gap junctions
Contract more rhythmically
Heart Histology
Impulse conducting system
Functions for initiation
& transmission of
electrical impulses that
result in cardiac muscle
contraction

Purkinje fibers
(specialized cardiac
muscle cells) generate &
conduct electrical
impulses
Heart Histology
S-A Node generates electrical pulse
A-V Node conducts to ventricles
Right bundle branch
Left bundle branch
Bundle
Of
His
Branches further into
subendothelial branches
also called Purkinje fibers
Heart Histology
Left side of interventricular septum endocardium at top
Endocardium

Purkinje cells


Myocardium
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
The bundle of His is located immediately below the endocardium
Endocardium
Lumen
Bundle of His
Myocardium
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
Heart Histology
Heart rate regulation
Parasympathetic slows down the heart by release of
acetylcholine causes constriction of the coronary
arteries (bradycardia) and reduction in the force of
heartbeat
Sympathetic causes rate of contraction to increase
thus increasing force of muscle contraction and
inhibiting their constriction (tachycardia)
- Autonomic nerve fibers secrete norepinephrine which
regulates impulses from the S-A node