Tricuspid valve leaflets (anatomy)

There are three tricuspid valve leaflets or cusps, so giving rise to the name of the valve:

• septal
• anterior
• posterior

Points of note:

• during diastole, they project into the ventricle and are widely separated from each other
• each has a central, collagenous lamina fibrosa that is continuous with the fibrous annulus of the valve
• the lamina fibrosa is surrounded by endocardium
• the endocardium is continuous at the edges of the valve on the ventricular side with the chordae tendineae
• individual leaflets are separated by their respective valve commissures, either anteroseptal, posteroseptal or anteroposterior; the commissures can be incomplete leading to fusion of valve leaflets
• the surface of each leaflet is irregular at its edge due to the presence of numerous 'clefts' - most chordae tendinae insert into this roughened zone from the ventricular side of the valve