Morphology of the atrioventricular valves and related intraventricular structures in the wild pig (Sus scrofa)

Morphology of the atrioventricular valves and the intraventricular related structures of 7 hearts of the wild pigs (Sus scrota) were observed by applying macroscopic and microscopic techniques and the findings were compared broadly to the literature. In all hearts examined, the tricuspid and mitral valves were normal and composed of 3 and 2 cusps, respectively. The papillary muscles observed in mammalian heart in general were found in both the ventricles; additionally, there were small unnamed papillary muscles in the left ventricle of the three samples. The sept marginal trabecula and false chords were present in the right ventricles, microscopically possessing myocardial fibres, connective tissue and Purkinje cells; while the false chords were located in all the left ventricles, but the sept marginal trabecula was found in the 3 samples only. Both the connective tissue and Purkinje cells were present in these two structures, but the myocardial fibres were not. Presence of the myocardial fibres in the right ventricle may have an effect on the ventricle geometry.