epicardium: Definition from Answers.com

Epicardium

A transverse section of the thorax, showing the contents of the middle and the posterior mediastinum. The pleural and pericardial cavities are exaggerated since normally there is no space between parietal and visceral pleura and between pericardium and heart.
Latin	lamina visceralis pericardii serosi

Epicardium describes the outer layer of heart tissue (from Greek; epi- outer, cardium heart). When considered as a part of the pericardium, it is the inner layer, or visceral pericardium.

Its largest constituent is connective tissue and functions as a protective layer. 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.

External links

http://sprojects.mmi.mcgill.ca/embryology/cvs/heart_tube.html
Atlas of anatomy at UMich ht_pericard2 - "MRI of chest, lateral view"

This cardiovascular system article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Anatomy of torso, cardiovascular system: heart (TA A12.1, GA 5.524)

General

Surface	base · apex · grooves (coronary/atrioventricular, interatrial, anterior interventricula, posterior interventricular) · surfaces (sternocostal, diaphragmatic) · borders (right, left) · Openings of smallest cardiac veins

Internal	atria (interatrial septum, musculi pectinati, sulcus terminalis) · ventricles (interventricular septum, trabeculae carneae, chordae tendineae, papillary muscle) · valves · cusps · Atrioventricular septum cardiac skeleton (fibrous trigone, fibrous rings) Intervenous tubercle

Chambers

Right heart	(vena cavae, coronary sinus) → right atrium (atrial appendage, fossa ovalis, limbus of fossa ovalis, crista terminalis, valve of inferior vena cava, valve of coronary sinus) → tricuspid valve → right ventricle (conus arteriosus, moderator band/septomarginal trabecula) → pulmonary valve → (pulmonary artery and pulmonary circulation)

Left heart	(pulmonary veins) → left atrium (atrial appendage) → mitral valve → left ventricle → aortic valve (aortic sinus) → (aorta and systemic circulation)

Layers

Endocardium	Heart valves

Myocardium	Conduction system: Cardiac pacemaker · SA node · AV node · bundle of His · Purkinje fibers

Pericardial cavity	Pericardial sinus

Pericardium	fibrous pericardium (Sternopericardiac ligaments) · serous pericardium (epicardium/visceral layer) · Fold of the left vena cava

heart navs: anat/physio/dev, noncongen/congen/neoplasia, symptoms+signs/eponymous, proc

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