What separates the right and left side of the heart?

The septum is the muscular wall that divides the right and left sides of the heart. This important structure plays a crucial role in ensuring that oxygen-rich blood from the left side of the heart does not mix with oxygen-poor blood from the right side. The heart consists of four chambers: the right atrium and right ventricle, which handle deoxygenated blood, and the left atrium and left ventricle, which manage oxygenated blood. The presence of the septum allows for the efficient separation of these two blood circuits, thereby facilitating effective circulation and oxygenation throughout the body.

In contrast, the valvular ring is associated with the heart valves and serves to anchor them in place but does not provide a division between the sides of the heart. The aorta is the main artery that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart but does not separate the heart's chambers. The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle itself and do not play a role in separating the heart's sides.