endocardium
Quick Summary
The endocardium is the innermost layer of the heart wall, lining the heart's cavities and covering its valves. It is a thin lining that is continuous with the membrane lining the large blood vessels. This layer is crucial for the proper functioning of the heart valves, which are responsible for opening and closing to regulate blood flow.1
Diseases affecting the endocardium, such as bacterial endocarditis, can lead to serious complications. This condition involves infection on the heart valves or within the endocardium itself, often occurring at sites of previous damage. While antibiotic therapy has improved treatment outcomes, endocarditis can still be a severe and potentially fatal disease.2
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
human cardiovascular systemOrigin and developmentAn endocardial (lining) tube of flattened cells subsequently forms and continues to differentiate until a young tube with forked anterior and posterior ends arises. As differentiation and growth progress, this primitive tube begins to fold upon itself, and constrictions along its length produce four primary chambers.…
Read MoreAn endocardial (lining) tube of flattened cells subsequently forms and continues to differentiate until a young tube with forked anterior and posterior ends arises. As differentiation and growth progress, this primitive tube begins to fold upon itself, and constrictions along its length produce four primary chambers.…
Read More- human cardiovascular systemWall of the heart
…myocardium (middle layer), and the endocardium (inner layer). Coronary vessels supplying arterial blood to the heart penetrate the epicardium before entering the myocardium. This outer layer, or visceral pericardium, consists of a surface of flattened epithelial (covering) cells resting upon connective tissue.
Read More…myocardium (middle layer), and the endocardium (inner layer). Coronary vessels supplying arterial blood to the heart penetrate the epicardium before entering the myocardium. This outer layer, or visceral pericardium, consists of a surface of flattened epithelial (covering) cells resting upon connective tissue.
Read More 
heart…outside, and another layer, the endocardium, lines the inside. The heart cavity is divided down the middle into a right and a left heart, which in turn are subdivided into two chambers. The upper chamber is called an atrium (or auricle), and the lower chamber is called a ventricle. The…
Read More…outside, and another layer, the endocardium, lines the inside. The heart cavity is divided down the middle into a right and a left heart, which in turn are subdivided into two chambers. The upper chamber is called an atrium (or auricle), and the lower chamber is called a ventricle. The…
Read More