Structural Differences between the Right and Left Ventricles

• • The anatomical differences between the right and left ventricles reflect their functional differences.
• Contraction of the right ventricle moves it towards the wall of the left ventricle, which compresses the blood within the right ventricle
• The rising pressure forces the blood through the pulmonary valve and into the pulmonary trunk
• Low pressure is what is needed to move blood around the pulmonary circuit
• High pressure could damage pulmonary capillaries
• Left ventricle contracts, it shortens and narrows

  • distance between base and apex decreases
  • diameter of left ventricle chamber decreases