Auricles and ventricles are both chambers of the heart, but they have different functions and characteristics:
- Location: The auricles, also known as the atria, are the two upper chambers of the heart, while the ventricles are the two lower chambers.
- Size: The auricles are smaller in size than the ventricles.
- Function: The auricles receive blood from the body and pump it into the ventricles, while the ventricles pump blood out of the heart to the rest of the body.
- Valves: The auricles are separated from the ventricles by the atrioventricular valves, which prevent backflow of blood into the auricles when the ventricles contract.
- Wall thickness: The walls of the auricles are thinner than the walls of the ventricles. The left ventricle has the thickest walls due to its role in pumping blood to the rest of the body.
- Blood circulation: The right auricle receives deoxygenated blood from the body, while the left auricle receives oxygenated blood from the lungs. The right ventricle pumps the deoxygenated blood to the lungs, while the left ventricle pumps the oxygenated blood to the rest of the body.
Overall, the main differences between auricles and ventricles are their location, size, function, valves, wall thickness, and blood circulation.