It is also known as visceral pericardium as it forms the inner layer of the pericardium. The epicardium is composed primarily of loose connective tissue, including elastic fibers and adipose tissue. The epicardium functions to protect the inner heart layers and also assists in the production of pericardial fluid.
What does visceral pericardium mean?
The visceral pericardium apparently produces the pericardial fluid, which lubricates motion between the inner and outer layers of the pericardium. During ventricular contraction, the wave of depolarization moves from endocardial to epicardial surface.
Which best describes the pericardium?
Outermost later of the heart, also known as the visceral pericardium; it contains far to cushion the heart Endocardium Innermost layer, consisting of thin, very smooth tissue that stretches as the heart pumps blood
What is the function of pericardium?
The pericardium plays an important role in the normal cardiac work. Its major functions include: maintenance of adequate cardiac position, separation from the surrounding tissues of the mediastinum, protection against ventricular dilatation, maintenance of low transmural pressure, facilitation of ventricular interdependence and atrial filling.
What is the inner layer of pericardium?
The pericardium is made up of two main layers: a tough external layer known as the fibrous pericardium, and a thin, internal layer known as the serous pericardium (to overextend the orange metaphor, the outer peel could be thought of as the fibrous layer, with the inner white stuff being the serous layer).
Is epicardium and visceral pericardium the same?
The visceral serous pericardium, also known as the epicardium, covers the myocardium of the heart and can be considered its serosa. It is largely made of a mesothelium overlying some elastin-rich loose connective tissue.
What is the difference between the epicardium and the visceral layer of the serous pericardium?
Between the parietal and visceral layers is a potential space that may be filled with a small amount of fluid. The part of the visceral layer that covers the heart, but not the great vessels is called the epicardium.
What is the connection between the epicardium and visceral pericardium?
The epicardium is the outermost layer of the heart. It is actually the visceral layer of the serous pericardium, which adheres to the myocardium of the heart. Histologically, it is made of mesothelial cells, the same as the parietal pericardium.
What are the 3 layers of the pericardium called?
The pericardium is the fibrous sac that surrounds the heart. It can be divided into three layers, the fibrous pericardium, the parietal pericardium, and the visceral pericardium. The parietal and visceral pericardia together form the serous pericardium.
What is the function of the epicardium?
The epicardium is a thin layer of elastic connective tissue and fat that serves as an additional layer of protection from trauma or friction for the heart under the pericardium. This layer contains the coronary blood vessels, which oxygenate the tissues of the heart with a blood supply from the coronary arteries.
What is the function of the visceral pericardium?
Visceral pericardium is both the inner layer of the pericardium and the outer layer of the heart wall. Also known as the epicardium, this layer protects the inner heart layers and also assists in the production of pericardial fluid.
Is the epicardium the inner layer of the pericardium?
Epicardium: The inner layer of the pericardium, a conical sac of fibrous tissue that surrounds the heart and the roots of the great blood vessels. The pericardium has outer and inner coats.
What are the two layers of the epicardium?
The walls of the heart are composed of three layers: Epicardium - the outer layer. Myocardium - the middle, muscular layer. Endocardium - the inner layer.
What are the 3 tissue types in the heart?
The wall of the heart separates into the following layers: epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. These three layers of the heart are embryologically equivalent to the three layers of blood vessels: tunica adventitia, tunica media, and tunica intima, respectively.
What are the 4 chambers of the heart?
The four chambers of the heart On each side of the wall, there is a small collecting chamber called an 'atrium', which leads into a large pumping chamber called a 'ventricle'. There are four chambers: the left atrium and right atrium (upper chambers), and the left ventricle and right ventricle (lower chambers).
What is the outermost layer of the pericardium called?
Pericardium layers Fibrous pericardium is the outer layer. It's made from thick connective tissue and is attached to your diaphragm. It holds your heart in place in the chest cavity and protects from infections. Serous pericardium is the inner layer.
How does the epicardium differ from the parietal pericardium?
The parietal pericardium is composed of two layers: a serosal lining (thin red line) and a fibrous sac (thicker yellow line). The visceral pericardium or epicardium is composed of a single layer of serosal investment covering the entire heart (thin red line overlying the myocardium in blue).
What is the difference between fibrous and serous pericardium?
Fibrous pericardium is the outer layer. It's made from thick connective tissue and is attached to your diaphragm. It holds your heart in place in the chest cavity and protects from infections. Serous pericardium is the inner layer.
What is the relationship between the serous pericardium and the heart wall quizlet?
The outer parietal layer of the serous pericardium is fused to the fibrous pericardium, also called the epicardium, is one of the layers of the heart wall and adheres tightly to the surface of the heart. Between the parietal and visceral layers of the serous pericardium is a thin film of lubricating serous fluid.
What is the inner layer of the serous pericardium?
The serous pericardium, the inner layer of the pericardium, is composed of two different layers. The outer layer, the parietal layer, is completely adhered to the fibrous pericardium. The inner layer is known as the visceral layer, which covers and protects the great vessels and heart.
What is the epicardium?
The epicardium refers to the outermost protective layer of the heart. The epicardium is composed of mesothelium, a cell type that covers and protec...
Where is the epicardium located?
The epicardium is located adjacent to the myocardium and surrounds the heart.
What is the function of the epicardium?
There are many functions of the epicardium aside from its main protective role as the outer surface of the heart. It is the innermost layer of the...
What is the difference between the epicardium and the pericardium?
The epicardium is part of the pericardium. It is the innermost layer and is referred to as the visceral layer of the serous pericardium. The main d...
What are the most important facts to know about the epicardium?
The epicardium, or the innermost layer of the pericardium, is the outermost layer of the heart itself. It is composed of mesothelial cells, fat, an...
Where does the visceral layer of the pericardium occur?
The visceral layer is extending to the root of the great vessels later uniting with the parietal layer of the serous pericardium. This process happens in two areas where the aorta and pulmonary trunk leave the heart and where the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, and pulmonary veins enter the heart. Figure 01: The Visceral Pericardium.
What is the space between the parietal pericardium and the visceral pericardium?
Between the visceral pericardium and the parietal pericardium, there is a potential space called as “pericardial cavity”. It contains a supply of serous fluid (pericardial fluid). The pericardial fluid functions as a shock absorber. This reduces the friction that takes place between the pericardial membranes.
What is Parietal Pericardium?
The parietal pericardium is the outer layer of the serous pericardium that lines internal surface of the fibrous pericardium. It is sometimes called as the layer between the fibrous pericardium and the visceral pericardium. It continues with the fibrous pericardium which provides an additional layer of insulation for the heart.
What are the layers of the heart?
The wall of the heart has three layers; Epicardium (external layer), myocardium (middle layer or heart muscle tissue), endocardium (inner layer). The pericardium is further divided into the fibrous pericardium and the serous pericardium. The serous pericardium is composed of the outer layer called as “parietal pericardium” and ...
What is the outer layer of the heart called?
Parietal pericardium is the outer layer of serous pericardium. Visceral pericardium lines the outer layer of the heart’s epicardium. Parietal pericardium lines the internal surface of the fibrous pericardium. Visceral pericardium is connected to the outer layer of the epicardium of the heart.
What is the inner layer of the serous pericardium?
This is the inner layer of the serous pericardium. It also forms the epicardium or outer layer of the wall of the heart. Thus, the visceral pericardium is the inner layer of the serous pericardium that lines the outer layer of the heart’s epicardium. The main function of the visceral pericardium is to protect the inner heart layers. And it is also assisting the production of serous fluid known as “pericardial fluid”. The visceral layer is extending to the root of the great vessels later uniting with the parietal layer of the serous pericardium. This process happens in two areas where the aorta and pulmonary trunk leave the heart and where the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, and pulmonary veins enter the heart.
What is the difference between the serous pericardium and the parietal pericardium?
The serous pericardium is double layered; outer layer called as “parietal pericardium” and an inner layer called as “visceral pericardium”. The key difference between visceral per icardium and parietal pericardium is, the visceral pericardium is the inner layer of the serous pericardium that outlines the outer layer of the heart’s epicardium ...
What is the layer of connective tissue that binds the epicardium to the myocardium and cushions?
Below the mesothelial cells is a layer of adipose and connective tissue that binds the epicardium to the myocardium and cushions the heart. Nerves and blood vessels that supply the heart are found in the epicardium.
Why is the myocardium thicker in the atria than in the ventricles?
This is due to the greater hydrostatic pressure that the ventricles must overcome when pumping the blood into the systemic vessels.
What is the outermost layer of the heart?
The epicardium is the outermost layer of the heart. It is actually the visceral layer of the serous pericardium, which adheres to the myocardium of the heart. Histologically, it is made of mesothelial cells, the same as the parietal pericardium.
What is the myocardium made of?
Histologically, the myocardium is comprised of cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocytes have a single nucleus in the center of the cell, which helps to distinguish them from skeletal muscle cells that have multiple nuclei dispersed in the periphery of the cell. Cardiomyocytes are very rich in glycogen deposits and mitochondria.
How long does it take for endocarditis to go away?
Infectious endocarditis is treated by intravenous antibiotics for 2 to 6 weeks. If the disease has significantly damaged the heart valves, it is indicated to perform a valve replacement or repair surgery.
What are the layers of the heart?
Histologically, the heart is made of three layers of tissue: epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. Key facts about the layers of the heart. Epicardium. Visceral layer of serous pericardium. Comprised of mesothelial cells and fat and connective tissues. Myo cardium.
What causes endocarditis?
Usually, it has an infectious etiology. It mostly affects already damaged heart valves and in most cases, is caused by the bacteria Streptococcus viridans. In the case of a healthy heart, the pathogenic bacteria is Streptococcus aureus. No matter what bacteria is the cause, pathogenesis is the same. Once the bacteria carried by the bloodstream reaches the heart valves, they invade the endocardium. Then they cause the destruction of heart tissue, which leads to the formation of friable vegetations composed of necrotic debris (destructed heart cells), thrombi, and microorganisms. Parts of the vegetation can be loosened by the bloodstream and disseminated throughout the body, forming secondary deposits of infection. If the causing bacteria is very virulent, the endocarditis has a fulminant course and often a fatal outcome. On the other hand, when the bacteria are not so virulent they can persist for some time in the heart causing valves deformities.
