BIOL 1020

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
Objectives:
 Identify anatomical features of the human heart
 Know the pathway of blood through the heart
 Explain basic concepts of human blood types

EXERCISE 1

Anatomy of the Heart

The mammalian heart is a four-chambered muscular structure. It is composed primarily of cardiac

muscle (myocardium) as well as connective tissue, nerve input, and some epithelium. The heart
pumps and receives blood from the body. It has its own blood supply from arteries called
coronary arteries. A heart attack results from a blockage of the coronary arteries such that the
heart itself receives no blood. The result is that some of the heart muscle dies, interfering with its
ability to pump blood to the rest of the body. Blood that is low in oxygen travels through veins and
enters into the heart through either the superior or the inferior vena cava. Once blood passes
through either of the vena cava, it then pours into the right atrium. From the right atrium it will
move into the right ventricle then exit the heart into the pulmonary artery where it will be taken
over to the lungs and drop off carbon dioxide and pick up oxygen. From the lungs, the
oxygenated blood will flow back into the heart through the pulmonary veins into the left atrium.
From the left atrium it will flow into the left ventricle then out of the heart through the aorta. The
oxygenated blood will service the rest of the body and then return to the heart and oxygen poor
blood and repeat the process.

Use your textbook, and lab report to become familiar with the following parts of the circulatory
system. Be sure and identify the following structures.

Parts of the Circulatory System

Superior Vena Cava Right ventricle Left atrium
Inferior Vena Cava Pulmonary valve Mitral valve
Right atrium Pulmonary arteries Left ventricle
Tricuspid valve Pulmonary veins Aortic valve
Ventricular septum Atrial septum Aorta

The following website: https://www.wisc-online.com/learn/natural-science/life-

science/ap12504/the-anatomy-of-the-heart has a nice tutorial that you may also use as a
beneficial tool for understanding he heart anatomy and blood flow through the heart.

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Created by Dr. Jennifer Knapp and Revised by Dr. Kevin Ragland and Revised by Rachel Lewis

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Then watch the following video on blood flow through the heart and write out the blood
flow in the blanks provided below:
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/health-and-medicine/circulatory-system/circulatory-
system-introduction/v/flow-through-the-heart or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XaftdE_h60
both links are the save video just located in two different places.

Write your answers in the blanks below:

1  Superior Vena cava & Inferior Vena cava

2  
3  
4  
5  
6  
7  
8  

R18S
Created by Dr. Jennifer Knapp and Revised by Dr. Kevin Ragland and Revised by Rachel Lewis

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9  
10  
11
12
13
14 Body

EXERCISE 2

Mammalian Heart Dissection

Figure 1: Anterior view of the heart Figure 2: Anterior view with details

R18S
Created by Dr. Jennifer Knapp and Revised by Dr. Kevin Ragland and Revised by Rachel Lewis

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Figure 3. Superior View of the Heart. Figure 4. Cross section of the heart

Sheep and pigs have a four-chambered heart, just like humans. By studying the anatomy of a
sheep’s heart or pig’s heart, you can learn basic mammalian anatomy of the heart and how your
heart pumps blood through the body providing oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. The Home
Science Tools provides a virtual dissection of a sheep heart that can be accessed at the following
link:
https://learning-center.homesciencetools.com/article/heart-dissection-project/

Heart illustrations and photos often show the left atrium and ventricle on the right side of the
diagram. This is as if the heart was in the body of a person facing you. The left side of their heart
is on their left. Since you are facing them, it is on your right. Complete the following steps to
dissect the heart specimen.

1. Begin by becoming familiar with the external anatomy of the heart. First identify the
anterior and posterior sides of the heart. The anterior surface will be somewhat convex
while the posterior surface will be slightly concave.
2. Identify the left and right sides of the heart. On one side of the anterior heart, you will see
a diagonal line of blood vessels that divide the heart. The half that includes the apex
(pointed end) of the heart is the left side. If you were holding the heat in your hand, you
could confirm this by squeezing each half of the heart. The left half will feel much firmer
than the right side. The left side of the heart is stronger, because it has to pump blood to
the rest of the body through systemic circulation. The right side of the heart pumps blood
only to the lungs through pulmonary circulation.

3. While looking at the anterior surface of the external heart, locate the right atrium, left
atrium, right ventricle, left ventricle, pulmonary trunk, and the interventricular septum
using the images provided.

4. Next you should locate the flaps of darker tissue located on the superior border of the
heart. These ear-like flaps are called auricles. Auricles are small, cone-shaped pouches
that increase the size of the atrium when additional blood is needed.

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Created by Dr. Jennifer Knapp and Revised by Dr. Kevin Ragland and Revised by Rachel Lewis

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5. Locate the large opening at the top of the heart next to the right auricle. This is the
opening to the superior vena cava, which brings blood from the upper body to the right
atrium. The atria are the superior chambers of the heart. The the inferior vena cava,
which brings blood from the lower body also brings blood into the right atrium. You can
also see another blood vessel next to the left auricle. This is a pulmonary vein that
brings blood from the lungs into the left atrium.
6. Opening up from the center of the heart is the aorta. The aorta carries oxygenated blood
from the left ventricle to the rest of the body. The ventricles are the inferior chambers of
the heart. The aorta branches into more than one artery right after it leaves the heart.
7. Behind and to the left of the aorta there is another large vessel. This is the pulmonary
artery, which takes blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.
8. Now referencing figure 4 you can see that an incision was made down through the wall of
the right atrium and right ventricle. You should be able to see three membranes. These
three membranes form the tricuspid valve (or right atrioventricular valve) between the
right atrium and the right ventricle. The membranes are connected to flaps of muscle
called the papillary muscles by tendons called the chordae tendinae or "heartstrings."
This valve allows blood to enter the ventricle from the atrium, but prevents backflow from
the ventricle into the atrium. You can also see the pulmonary valve which prevents
blood from flowing back into the right ventricle in figure 4.
9. On the left side of the heart, you should be able to see two flaps that make up the mitral
valve (or bicuspid valve or left atrioventricular valve). The mitral valve is connected to
papillary muscles by tendons.

10. Now focusing on the aorta you at the base of the heart you should be able to see flaps
that form the aortic valve, which prevents blood from flowing back into the left ventricle.

11. Now review your dissection by identifying the following numbered parts of the circulatory
system. Try to do so without the aid of the previous diagrams.

Identify the numbered parts below. Write your answers in tables provided.

1   8  
2   9  
3   10  
4   11  
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Created by Dr. Jennifer Knapp and Revised by Dr. Kevin Ragland and Revised by Rachel Lewis

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5   12  
6   13  
7   14  

15  
16  
17  
18  
19  
20  

Once you have completed the virtual heart dissection, answer the following questions
using the lab and your textbook.

1. What is the name that refers specifically to the muscle of the heart?

2. What valve separates the right atrium from the right ventricle?

3. What valve separates the left atrium from the left ventricle?

4. What valve separates the right ventricle from the pulmonary artery?

5. What valve separates the left ventricle from the aorta?

6. What is the name given to the relaxation phase of the cardiac cycle?

7. What is the name given to the contraction phase of the cardiac cycle?

8. What is the name of the artery that supplies blood to the heart to meet the
oxygen and nutrient needs of the heart muscle?

9. What is aortic regurgitation?

10. What is mitral regurgitation?

R18S
Created by Dr. Jennifer Knapp and Revised by Dr. Kevin Ragland and Revised by Rachel Lewis

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R18S
Created by Dr. Jennifer Knapp and Revised by Dr. Kevin Ragland and Revised by Rachel Lewis