Left Atrium (L.A.)
This section is about
Structures of the Heart
The left atrium is one of the main chambers of the heart. It is the upper chamber located on the left-hand side of the body.
The muscular walls of the atria of the heart (the left atrium and the right atrium) are thinner than those of the ventricles (the left ventricle and the right ventricle).
A wrinkled pouch-like structure called an auricle (due to its visual appearance resembling a dog's ear) is attached to the anterior surface of each atrium. The purpose of this structure is to increase the capacity of the atrium, and so increase the volume of blood that it is able to contain.
The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs via the pulmony vein, and pumps it into the left ventricle (via the bicuspid valve).
More about the heart and blood circulation:
See the following for more about the heart, blood, blood circulation, disorders of the blood circulation system, and related topics.
- The Structure of the Heart
- The Functions of the Heart
- Systemic Circulation (i.e. blood flow around the body beyond the heart and lungs)
- Pulmonary Circulation (i.e. blood flow through the heart and lungs)
- Heart Conditions, heart problems and disorders, both chronic and acute
- Heart Disease Risk Factors, avoidable and unavoidable
- Discoveries about the circulatory system and how it works
- Books about heart disease.
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