Heart Development and Anatomy Quiz

Divides the right and left atria of the heart.

Divides the right and left ventricles of the heart.

The heart's pacemaker; initiates electrical signals for contraction.

Delays the electrical signal from the atria to the ventricles.

Conducts the electrical signal through fibrous skeleton to the ventricles.

Specialized fibers that rapidly distribute the electrical signal throughout the ventricles.

Right ventricle has thinner, more trabeculated walls; left ventricle has thicker walls.

control blood flow between atria and ventricles (e.g., mitral/bicuspid vs. tricuspid)

The heart receives nerve signals from the cardiac plexus, a network of both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves.

Located at the front of the trachea's division and behind the aorta & pulmonary trunk.

The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle (myocardium) and outer layer (epicardium).

Branches from the aorta, arising above its valve.

Tiny branches in the heart's inner layer that deliver signals and nutrients to heart muscle cells.

The AV node receives blood from a branch of the posterior IV artery.

The vagus nerves provide parasympathetic innervation to control heart rate.

The inner heart lining (endocardium) gets oxygen and nutrients via diffusion or tiny blood vessels.

The earliest region involved in heart development, located in the anterior lateral plate mesoderm. It forms part of the atria and the left ventricle.

Located adjacent to the PHF, contributing to the heart tube's elongation. It forms the right ventricle, outflow tracts, and parts of the atria.

The bending of the heart tube to form a looping structure, crucial for positioning heart chambers.

Part of the heart tube that develops into the trabeculated portions of the right ventricle.

The portion of the heart that forms the roots and proximal parts of the aorta and pulmonary artery. Part of the conus cordis and truncus arteriosus.

Endocardial heart tubes joining together in the 3rd week to form the primordial heart tube.

Cells originating from the neural tube and contributing to the cardiac outflow tract and aorticopulmonary septum.

A critical process during heart development; the looping of the heart tube into a C-shape

The series of events forming the heart, from basic tissue arrangement to complex anatomy, including stages like folding and bending.

The development of the four chambers (right and left atria and ventricles) of the heart.

Structural abnormalities in the heart present at birth, often due to developmental issues, causing functional issues.

Specialized circulatory connections within a fetus, redirecting blood flow to bypass the lungs before birth; closing after birth.

The early, simple tubular structure that gives rise to the heart of an embryo.

Structures that take part in forming the heart valves and septa, crucial in completing heart development.

A sound heard within the heart during pregnancy, a possible clinical indicator. May or may not be considered significant.

The development of blood vessels in the embryo.

Located at the 2nd right intercostal space, near the sternum.

Carries oxygenated blood to the embryo.

Attached to the chordae tendineae of atrioventricular valves.

The area in the chest containing the heart, major vessels, and other organs. Divided into superior and inferior sub-divisions (anterior, middle, posterior).

Located roughly 2/3rds to the left and 1/3rd to the right of the median plane.

Located at the 5th intercostal space, midclavicular line (apex).

Encloses the heart, anchors & protects, prevents overfilling, and provides low friction environment.

The aortic valve

The inner lining of the pericardium, a sac surrounding the heart.

The outer lining of the heart, also called the epicardium.

The outermost layer of the heart wall; part of the visceral pericardium.

Thick, middle layer of the heart wall, made of cardiac muscle.

Inner lining of the heart chambers and valves.

Individual cardiac muscle cells making up the myocardium.

Specialized cardiac muscle fibers for rapid electrical signal conduction in the heart.

Ventricular muscles connected to AV valves by chordae tendineae.

Blood flows from the sinus venosus into the forming atria during early heart development.

Structures forming in the atrioventricular (AV) canal that divide it and assist in later heart valve formation around the end of the 4th week of development.

Part of the heart tube that develops into the trabeculated parts of the right ventricle and outflow tracts.

This heart structure evolves into the outflow tract of the heart, leading to the pulmonary trunk and aorta.

Blood flows from the sinus venosus to the atrium, then the ventricle, and finally out the bulbus cordis and truncus arteriosus during early heart development.

Specialized junctions connecting cardiac muscle cells, containing desmosomes, gap junctions, and fascia adherens for cell-to-cell communication and force transmission during contraction.

Striated, branched, and interconnected muscle cells in the heart, containing large mitochondria and sarcomeres, connected via intercalated discs.

Dense connective tissue framework of the heart, anchoring cardiac muscle fibers, supporting valves, and maintaining valve orifice patency.

The inner lining of the heart chambers and valves composed of simple squamous epithelium (endothelium), supporting connective tissue, small blood vessels, nerves, and Purkinje fibers.

Structures that directly connect the cytoplasm of two cardiac muscle cells to allow for direct electrical signals propagation through the heart.

A single coordinated unit of cardiac muscle where cells function as a single unit due to gap junctions.

Structures that hold cardiac cells firmly together to prevent separation due to contractions.

Protein anchors that connect actin filaments, assisting in force transmission during heart muscle contractions.

Larger ventricular septal defects (VSDs) can cause symptoms like fatigue, difficulty breathing during exertion, rapid heartbeat, and repeated lung infections.

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) occurs when the wall separating the heart's lower chambers doesn't close completely, leading to left-to-right blood flow.

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a congenital heart condition where the blood vessel connecting the aorta and pulmonary artery remains open after birth.

A large patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) diverts blood from the main artery (aorta) to the lung artery (pulmonary artery), causing a buildup of pressure and blood in the lungs.

A narrowing of the aorta, typically below the artery supplying the left arm. It can result in high blood pressure in the upper body, but lower blood pressure in the lower body.

Embryonic heart defects can result from problems with body axis development, precursor cell migration, or both.

A process in early embryonic development during which organs are determined if the organ will be located on the left or right side of the body.

If cells do not move to the correct place in the developing embryo, it can cause heart defects like VSDs or other anomalies.