pericardium.:the membrane enclosing the heart, consisting of an outer fibrous layer and an inner double layer of serous membrane.
properties of cardiac muscles of heart: Cardiac muscle tissue or myocardium forms the bulk of the heart. The heart wall is a three layered structure with a thick layer of myocardium sandwiched between the inner
endocardium and the outer
epicardium (also known as the visceral pericardium). The inner endocardium lines the cardiac chambers, covers the
cardiac valves, and joins with the
endothelium that lines the blood vessels that connect to the heart. On the outer aspect of the myocardium is the
epicardium which forms part of the pericardium, the sack that surrounds, protects, and lubricates the heart. Within the myocardium there are several sheets of cardiac muscle cells or cardiomyocytes. The sheets of muscle that wrap around the left ventricle closest to the endocardium are oriented perpendicularly to those closest to the epicardium. When these sheets contract in a coordinated manner they allow the ventricle to squeeze in several direction simultaneously – longitudinally (becoming shorter from apex to base), radially (becoming narrower from side to side), and with a twisting motion (similar to wringing out a damp cloth) to squeeze out the maximum amount of blood with each heartbeat.
The two lower
chambers are the
ventricles, which have thick walls and force blood out of the
heart by way of arteries The
left ventricle has the
thickest walls because it is the major pumping
chamber of the
heart.
atrial systole Prior to atrial systole, blood has been flowing passively from the atrium into the ventricle through the open AV valve. During atrial systole the atrium contracts and tops off the volume in the ventricle with only a small amount of blood. Atrial contraction is complete before the ventricle begins to contract.
main function of lymph. The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials. The primary function of the lymphatic system is to
transport lymph, a fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells, throughout the body
Lymph Composition. Lymph contains a variety of substances, including proteins, salts, glucose, fats, water, and white blood cells. Unlike your blood, lymph does not normally contain any red blood cells. The composition of lymph varies a great deal, depending on where in your body it originated.