Structure and Functions of Left and Right Ventricles in the Human Heart
Human heart is the major organ involved in the double circulatory system and it is called double because here, the blood passes through the heart twice per circuit. The left pump sends the fresh oxygenated blood around the body and on the other hand, the right pump sends deoxygenated blood to the lungs where it becomes oxygenated and flows back to the heart.
Thus, oxygenated and deoxygenated blood in human beings are separately flowing and makes the circulatory system more efficient which also helps in maintaining the constant temperature of the body. Below are the four heart chambers that have important roles in the double circulation in human beings; we can observe from the following the difference between the functions of the left and right ventricles.
Left Atrium: Receives oxygenated blood from lungs which contain oxygen.
Right Atrium: It receives deoxygenated blood that contains CO₂ as the byproduct of metabolism.
Left Ventricle: It also receives oxygenated blood coming from the left atrium via a bi-cuspid valve.
Right Ventricle: It receives deoxygenated blood consisting of CO₂ from the right atrium via the tricuspid valve.
Human Heart consists of four chambers consisting of an auricle and ventricle. Ventricles are of two types, namely, left and right ventricle occupying two chambers; auricles or atrium is also of two types, namely, left atrium and right atrium.
A ventricle is part of our heart and it is one of the two large chambers located towards the bottom of the heart. Its function is to collect and expel blood that is received from an atrium towards the peripheral beds within the lungs and body.
To know about the atrium or auricle, it is an adjacent upper heart chamber that primes the pumping and it is smaller and has thinner muscular walls than a ventricle.
All these four chambers are parts of the circulatory system of our body which is helpful in supplying nutrients and oxygen to the body tissues and organs. It will also be helpful in removing body wastes and carbon dioxide from the body.
In this article, we will discuss the left ventricle and right ventricle and the differences between the right and left ventricles of the heart.
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Structure of the Ventricles
Ventricles have thicker walls than the atria and are known to generate higher blood pressures. The physiological load on the ventricles is much greater to pump the blood throughout the body and lungs as compared to the pressure generated by the atria to fill the ventricles.
Further, the left ventricle is known to have thicker walls than the right ventricle and it is helpful in pumping blood to almost all parts of the body whereas the right ventricles fill only the lungs.
Ventricles have irregular muscular columns called trabeculae carnage on the inner walls and these cover all of the inner ventricular surfaces except the right ventricle’s conus arteriosus.
According to magnetic resonance imaging, the mass of the left ventricle is estimated to be 143 g where 38.4 g is variable.
The right and left ventricles are equal in size and comprise roughly 85 milliliters in the adult. Its upper surface can be found circular and convex and the under surface is flattened.
Ventricular bulges into the right ventricle where a transverse section of the cavity presents a semilunar outline.
There is a tendinous band known as the tendon of the conus arteriosus that extends upward from the right atrioventricular fibrous ring. The ring mentioned here connects the posterior surface of the band to the aorta.
Shape of the Left and Right Ventricles
The left ventricle is lengthier and more conical in shape than the right ventricle, and on the transverse section, its concavity presents an oval or nearly circular outline. It is a considerable part of the heart’s diaphragmatic surface and it forms a small part of the sternocostal surface; it also forms the apex of the heart.
The left ventricle is thicker and muscular as compared to the right ventricle because it pumps blood at a higher pressure.
The right ventricle is triangular in shape and it extends from the tricuspid valve in the right atrium to near the apex of the heart. Its wall is found thickest at the apex and thin towards its base at the atrium.
Conclusion
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FAQs on Difference Between Left and Right Ventricle Explained
1. What is the primary difference between the function of the left and right ventricle?
The primary difference lies in their pumping destination and the type of blood they handle. The right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood a short distance to the lungs (pulmonary circulation). In contrast, the left ventricle pumps oxygenated blood to the entire body (systemic circulation), which is a much longer distance.
2. Why is the wall of the left ventricle significantly thicker than the right ventricle?
The wall of the left ventricle is about three times thicker because it must generate a much higher pressure to pump blood throughout the entire body. The right ventricle's task of pumping blood only to the nearby lungs requires considerably less force, so its muscular wall is thinner. This structural difference is a direct result of their different functional demands.
3. What are the key structural differences between the left and right ventricles?
Besides wall thickness, key structural differences include:
- Shape of Cavity: The left ventricle has a circular or conical cavity, which is efficient for building high pressure. The right ventricle has a crescent-shaped cavity that wraps around the left ventricle.
- Associated Valves: The left ventricle receives blood through the mitral valve and pumps it out through the aortic valve. The right ventricle receives blood through the tricuspid valve and pumps it out through the pulmonary valve.
4. How does the heart prevent oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood from mixing in the ventricles?
The heart uses a thick, muscular wall called the interventricular septum to separate the left and right ventricles. This physical barrier is crucial for maintaining the efficiency of double circulation, ensuring that oxygen-rich blood from the left ventricle does not mix with the oxygen-poor blood in the right ventricle.
5. In simple terms, what is the importance of the ventricles compared to the atria?
The roles are complementary but distinct. The atria (upper chambers) function as receiving chambers, collecting blood returning to the heart. The ventricles (lower chambers) are the powerful pumping chambers that contract forcefully to propel blood away from the heart and into circulation.
6. What type of blood does each ventricle handle and where does it go?
The flow is as follows:
- The right ventricle receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium and pumps it to the lungs via the pulmonary artery.
- The left ventricle receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium and pumps it to the rest of the body via the aorta.
7. What is the difference between an auricle and an atrium?
While often used interchangeably in older texts, anatomically they are different. The atrium is the main upper chamber of the heart that receives blood. The auricle is a small, ear-shaped muscular pouch that is attached to the outside of each atrium. Its main function is to increase the volume capacity of the atrium.
8. What happens during ventricular contraction, also known as systole?
During ventricular systole, both the left and right ventricles contract simultaneously. This contraction increases the pressure inside the chambers, causing the atrioventricular valves (mitral and tricuspid) to close and the semilunar valves (aortic and pulmonary) to open. This coordinated action powerfully ejects blood from the ventricles into the aorta and pulmonary artery, respectively.
