Chapter 20.5, Problem 17BYGO

Summary Introduction

To analyze:

The two routes that are involved in fetal blood bypass through the lungs. Also, their condition after birth is to be determined.

Introduction:

The heart is composed of cardiac muscle tissue. It helps in contractions that result in pumping blood into the vessels. Cardiac muscles are striated and are organized into sarcomeres due to which they have the same banding structure as skeletal muscle. The muscle fibers of the heart are connected in a branched form by intercalated discs. This disc helps the cardiac muscle cells to contract in a wave-like pattern due to which a heart can work as a pump.