Septum primum

Septum primum
Interior of dorsal half of heart from a human embryo of about thirty days. (Septum primum labeled at center top.)
Details
Carnegie stage	13
Days	29
Gives rise to	atrial septum
Latin	Septum primum
Anatomical terminology []

During heart development of a human embryo, the cavity of the primitive atrium becomes subdivided into right and left chambers by a septum, the septum primum, which grows downward into the cavity. The increasingly smaller gap below it (before it fuses with the endocardial cushion) is known as the ostium primum (i.e. "the first opening"). The septum primum eventually fuses with the endocardial cushion, closing the ostium primum off completely. Meanwhile, perforations appear in the superior part of the septum primum, forming the ostium secundum (i.e. "the second opening"). The septum primum will eventually form part of the fossa ovalis. Blood flow between atria will continue through the foramen ovale (heart).

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)