EBL 039 Heart H05
Right Ventricle
This tissue section shows the right ventricle and interventricular septum. The right ventricle receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium and pumps it into the pulmonary circulation at relatively low pressure.
Chamber Architecture
The has a thinner wall than the left ventricle, reflecting the lower resistance of the pulmonary versus the systemic circulation. In this specimen, the outer wall collapsed onto the ventricular septum.
- Trabeculae Carneae (,): Prominent irregular, branching muscular ridges projecting from the outer wall into the chamber lumen
- Some are attached along their entire length, while others bridge across the chamber, attached only at their endpoints
- Notably less developed on the septal side
- Papillary Muscles: Three (visible in cross-section) give rise to fibrous cords (chordae tendineae) that attach to the cusps of the tricuspid valve
- Interventricular Septum: separating the right and left ventricles
- Characteristically with minimal trabeculation
- Bulges into the right ventricle during contraction (systole) to enhance ejection efficiency
The micro-architecture of the trabeculae carneae and papillary muscles is better appreciated in gross specimens or three-dimensional imaging.
Courtesy of Edward B. Lankford, Division of Cardiology, Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute, University Park, State College, PA.