négykamrás

Négykamrás is a Hungarian adjective meaning having four chambers, used to describe structures that are divided into four distinct compartments. In biology and medicine the term is most often applied to the four-chambered heart, a characteristic feature of birds and mammals.

Etymology: the word is formed from négy (four) and kamra (chamber), with the adjectival suffix -s. The noun kamra ultimately traces back to Latin camera.

In anatomy and physiology, a four-chambered heart comprises two atria and two ventricles, with a complete interventricular septum that separates the left and right sides. This arrangement enables the pulmonary and systemic circulations to operate in series, allowing oxygenated and deoxygenated blood to be kept separate. In practical terms, blood flows from the right atrium to the right ventricle to the lungs, then returns to the left atrium and is pumped by the left ventricle to the body.

Comparison and context: four chambers are contrasted with three-chambered hearts found in most amphibians and some reptiles, and with two-chambered hearts found in most fish. The four-chambered design supports higher metabolic demands and, in birds and mammals, is associated with endothermy and greater cardiovascular efficiency.

Other uses: besides the heart, négykamrás can describe any structure with four separate compartments. In scientific writing it is most commonly encountered in anatomical contexts, but it can apply to other mechanical or storage systems described as having four chambers. See also: four-chambered heart.