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Interventricular septum
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The interventricular septum is the longitudinal partition which separates the left and right ventricles of the heart. It is oriented obliquely to the right, lying at around 45 degrees to the sagittal plane. It forms the left and posterior walls of the right ventricle, and the anteromedial wall of the left ventricle.
The interventricular septum has two distinct parts: the lower thick muscular part, and the upper smooth thin membranous part, which is also attached to the fibrous skeleton. On the anterior external surface of the heart, the site of the interventricular septum is indicated by the anterior interventricular sulcus.
The interventricular septum also plays a part in the conduction system of the heart, as the atrioventricular (AV) bundle splits into the left and right bundle branches within the septum, allowing electrical impulses to be transmitted from the AV node to the Purkinje fibers in the ventricles. Additionally, being cardiac tissue and part of the ventricular walls, the interventricular septum also contracts during systole, shortening longitudinally and thickening.
| Terminology |
English: Interventricular septum Latin: Septum interventriculare |
| Structure | Upper, thin membranous part Lower, thick muscular part |
| Function | Separates left and right ventricles, carries AV bundle and left/right bundle branches |
Learn more about the ventricles of the heart here:
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