Atrioventricular valves

Atrioventricular Valves

The Atrioventricular Valves (pronounced: A-tree-o-ven-TRIK-yoo-lar valves) are integral components of the human heart that regulate blood flow between the atria and the ventricles. The term originates from the Latin words 'atrium' and 'ventriculus' which mean 'entry hall' and 'little belly' respectively, and the Latin word 'valva' which means 'folding door'.

Function

The primary function of the atrioventricular valves is to prevent the backflow of blood from the ventricles into the atria during ventricular systole, which is the contraction phase of the cardiac cycle. There are two atrioventricular valves in the human heart: the mitral valve (also known as the bicuspid valve) and the tricuspid valve.

Mitral Valve

The mitral valve is located between the left atrium and the left ventricle. It is named for its resemblance to a bishop's mitre (a type of hat), and is unique in having only two leaflets or cusps.

Tricuspid Valve

The tricuspid valve, located between the right atrium and the right ventricle, has three leaflets or cusps, hence the name 'tricuspid'.

Related Terms

Semilunar valves: These are the other set of valves in the heart that regulate blood flow from the ventricles to the arteries.
Cardiac cycle: The sequence of events that occur when the heart beats.
Ventricular systole: The phase of the cardiac cycle during which the ventricles contract and pump blood into the arteries.

Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski

Atrioventricular valves