endocardium (heart, histology)
Last reviewed 01/2018
The endocardium of the heart is the innermost lining of the heart chambers, valves, chordae tendineae, papillary muscles and trabeculae carneae. It is continuous with the tunica intima of the great vessels which pass to and from the heart. It can be divided into several layers:
- endothelium on its basement membrane surrounded by loose connective tissue
- smooth muscle cell layer
- connective tissue cell layer which merges with connective tissue of the superficial myocardium
The terminal sections of conducting myocytes course through the endocardial layer.
The endocardium is deep to the myocardium.