The papillary muscles and cusps of the heart valves.
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The chordae tendinae are connected to the atrioventricular valves. These are the valves that separate the atrium from the ventricle on each side of the heart.
Elastin fibers
Chordae tendineae
Chordae tendineae
Chordae Tendineae
chordae tendineae
papillary muscles
Thin endocardium
papillary muscles
The chordae tendineae keep the tricuspid and bicuspid valves from compressing past the point of closure when the ventricles contract. If the chordae tendineae were not functioning properly, the pressure from ventricular contraction would force the valve to open into the atrium and cause backward flow of blood. In summary, blood would flow the wrong direction, decreasing the heart's effectiveness.