One of two valves that control bloodflow out of the heart. The aortic valve is located between the left ventricle and the aorta, the largest artery in the human body. Once blood leaves the heart through this valve to flow into the aorta, the valve closes to prevent blood from flowing back into the heart. The thick, muscular tubes that carry blood away from the heart. The AV valves are located between the atria and the ventricles.
All heart valves have either two or three flaps of tissue called leaflets that open and close.
Healthy valve leaflets ensure that the blood flows in only one direction through the heart. Closed AV valves prevent blood from flowing backward into the atria when the heart beats. The AV valve between the right atrium and right ventricle is called the tricuspid valve. The AV valve between the left atrium and the left ventricle is called the mitral valve. The blood vessels are the transportation system of the body.