Atrium (heart)
Atrium (heart)
The Atrium (pronounced: /ˈeɪtriəm/), is one of the two types of chambers in the heart. The heart consists of four chambers, two of which are atria. The word 'atrium' is derived from the Latin word 'atrium', which means 'central court' or 'main hall'.
Structure
The heart has two atria - the left atrium and the right atrium. They are located on the upper half of the heart, above the ventricles. The atria receive blood that comes into the heart and then send it to the ventricles.
Left Atrium
The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs through the pulmonary veins. It then pumps the blood into the left ventricle through the mitral valve.
Right Atrium
The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body through the superior vena cava and inferior vena cava. It then pumps the blood into the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve.
Function
The main function of the atria is to receive blood that is returning to the heart and then pump it into the ventricles. They play a crucial role in the cardiac cycle, which is the process by which the heart pumps blood around the body.
Related Terms
- Ventricle (heart)
- Cardiac cycle
- Superior vena cava
- Inferior vena cava
- Pulmonary veins
- Mitral valve
- Tricuspid valve
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Atrium (heart)
- Wikipedia's article - Atrium (heart)
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