Heart (Ao: aorta, Cv: conoventricular vein, La: left auricle, Lv: left ventricle, Ra: right auricle, Rv: right ventricle).

Heart (Ao: aorta, At: atrium, Lv: left ventricle, Rv: right ventricle).

A longitudinal section through both ventricles should be made from the base to the apex of the heart. Do not open the heart at necropsy. The half with the main vessel trunks is blocked to get a section through the opened ventricles and atria with auricles as well as through base, septum, apex, papillary muscle and main vessels of the heart.

See also:
      Introduction

	Hebel R, Stromberg MW (1986) Anatomy and embryology of the laboratory rat. BioMed, Wörthsee, pp 97–116
	Piper RC (1981) Morphological evaluation of the heart in toxicologic studies. In: Balazc T (ed) Cardiac toxicology, Vol. 3, CRC Press, Boca Raton, pp 111–136
	Van Vleet JF, Ferrans VJ, Herman E (2002) Cardiovascular and skeletal muscle system. In: Haschek WM, Rousseaux CG, Wallig MA (eds) Handbook of toxicologic pathology, 2nd edition, Vol 2. Academic Press, San Diego New York Boston, pp 363–455

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Reference: Morawietz G, Ruehl-Fehlert C, Kittel B, et al. (2004) Revised guides for organ sampling and trimming in rats and mice – Part 3. A joint publication of the RITA and NACAD groups. Exp Toxic Pathol 55: 433–449