Four Layers Of The Heart Essay

The heart is the organ that pumps blood through the body. Together with the circulatory system it makes up the cardiovascular system (Anatomy of the Heart, 2015). The heart is oddly shaped, almost oval at the bottom but with a series of veins and arteries at the top and sides. It definitely is not “heart” shaped. It is made up of four chambers consisting of two atria (upper) and two ventricles (lower). These chambers are separated into right and left side by the septum, which is a wall of muscle. The four layers of the heart are the pericardium, epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium (Ireland, 2012). It can weigh between 7-15 ounces and is roughly the size of a fist. It is located towards the left of the chest, between the lungs and covered by the ribs. The heart is an organ the human body must have to live, as blood flow is what keeps our tissues working. The heart moves blood through the body, carrying oxygen and nutrients to cells and removing carbon dioxide and waste from the cells (Anatomy of the Heart, 2015). The blood is moved away from the heart through arteries, arterioles, and capillaries. It is carried back to the heart by venules and veins. The tricuspid valve controls blood …show more content…
The heart has connective tissue in the form of fibrillary collagen that offers support (Burlew & Weber, 2000). The heart has cardiac muscle, which has intercalated discs to give the signal to contract and start the heartbeat (Ireland, 2012). Smooth muscle is also present in the arteries and vasculature (Xin, Olson, & Bassel-Duby, 2013). The heart also has parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous tissue in the form of fibers (Olshansky, Sabbah, Hauptman, & Colucci, 2008). All these tissue types serve their own functions, yet work together for the overall health of the organ. This is similar to how all of the organs in our body have their own functions and purpose, but work together to keep us