The Circulatory System

The Human Heart

The structure & function of
the human heart
1. The heart is a cone-shaped,
muscular organ about the size of
a clenched fist
2. The heart pumps blood which
a) Carries vital materials required
by the body
b) Removes waste products that
the body does not need
3. The human heart has 4 muscular
chambers capable of strong
contraction
a) the two upper chambers are the
atria (singular: atrium) and the
two lower chambers are the
ventricles
b) the atria receive blood returning
to the heart while the ventricles
pump blood out of the heart
4. The heart contracts and relaxes in
a rhythmic cycle
a) when it contracts, it pumps blood
b) when it relaxes, its chamber are
filled with blood
5. The right atrium receive
deoxygenated blood from the vena
cava
6. The left atrium receives
oxygenated blood from the
pulmonary veins
 As the atria contract, blood is
pumped into the ventricles.
The muscular wall of the left
ventricle is THICKER than the wall of
the right ventricle (the left ventricle
needs to pump blood to all parts of
the body)
The heart has VALVES that allow
blood to flow in ONE DIRECTION
only
 The valve between the right atrium
and the right ventricle is called the
TRICUSPID VALVE
The valve between the left atrium
and the left ventricle is called the
BICUSPID VALVE
the powerful contractions of the
ventricles force these valves to close,
preventing blood from flowing back into
the atria
 The SEMI-LUNAR VALVES are
located at the exits, where the
pulmonary artery and aorta leave the
heart
Prevent blood from flowing back
into the ventricles when the
ventricles relax
The Circulation of Blood in
Human
The heart is made up of a strong muscle
called the cardiac muscle and it is myogenic
The contractions of the heart are initiated
and coordinated by a pacemaker (located in
the wall of the right atrium)
The pacemaker generates electrical
impulses which spread rapidly over the
walls of both atria. Causing the atria to
contract rhythmically
 The pacemaker is controlled by both nervous
system & the endocrine system
The pacemaker also controlled by hormones
secreted into the blood (adrenaline) that
increases the heartbeat during fear,
excitement or danger
The hearts primary pacemaker is the
sinoatrial (SA) node because it keeps the
heartbeat regular
 The sequence of contractions of the heart
muscles result in the pumping of the heart
The SA node The electrical spread rapidly
generates over the walls of both atria,
electrical making the walls contract
impulses simultaneously. Contractions
of the atria help to pump
blood into the ventricles

The electrical
impulses spread to The electrical signals reach
the ventricles, the atrioventricular (AV)
causing them to node. The bundle of His
pump and push blood fibres, bundle branches and
out to the lungs and Purkinje fibres send the
body impulses to the apex of the
heart