Heart Anatomy Quiz: Pericardium and Heart Wall Layers

Heart Anatomy

• The pericardium is a double-walled sac that surrounds the heart.
• The pericardial cavity, the space between the two walls, allows for a friction-free environment for the heart.

Heart Wall Structure

• The heart wall is composed of three layers.
• The innermost layer that directly touches the blood is the myocardium.
• The epicardium is the outermost layer, while the pericardium is the outer sac.
• The endothelium is not a layer of the heart wall.

Cardiac Muscle Cells

• Cardiac muscle cells contract involuntarily, unlike skeletal muscle cells.
• Cardiac muscle cells are striated, but this is not a key difference from skeletal muscle cells.
• Cardiac muscle cells have one nucleus, and are not multinucleated.

Heart Chambers

• The heart has four chambers.
• The left atrium collects oxygenated blood returning from the lungs.
• The right atrium collects deoxygenated blood returning from the body.

Heart Valves

• The valves within the heart prevent backflow of blood.
• The tricuspid valve guards the opening between the right atrium and the right ventricle.
• The bicuspid valve is also known as the mitral valve, but it is not between the right atrium and the right ventricle.

Heart Shapes

• The pointed tip of the heart is called the apex.
• The base of the heart is the upper surface.