Which valve between the left atrium and left ventricle has two flaps?

Which valve between the left atrium and left ventricle has two flaps?

• A. Bicuspid valve (mitral valve)
• B. Tricuspid valve
• C. Aortic valve
• D. Pulmonary valve

Answer: (A)

The two-flap valve between the left atrium and left ventricle is the mitral valve, also called the bicuspid valve. It has two leaflets (cusps)—anterior and posterior—that open to let blood move from the left atrium into the left ventricle during diastole and close to prevent backflow during systole. The name bicuspid reflects its two cusps, unlike the tricuspid valve on the right, which has three cusps, and the semilunar valves (aortic and pulmonary), which have three crescent-shaped cusps but sit between ventricles and the great vessels. The mitral valve’s two cusps are supported by chordae tendineae and papillary muscles to prevent prolapse as the ventricle contracts.

The two-flap valve between the left atrium and left ventricle is the mitral valve, also called the bicuspid valve. It has two leaflets (cusps)—anterior and posterior—that open to let blood move from the left atrium into the left ventricle during diastole and close to prevent backflow during systole. The name bicuspid reflects its two cusps, unlike the tricuspid valve on the right, which has three cusps, and the semilunar valves (aortic and pulmonary), which have three crescent-shaped cusps but sit between ventricles and the great vessels. The mitral valve’s two cusps are supported by chordae tendineae and papillary muscles to prevent prolapse as the ventricle contracts.