The trabeculae carneae are rounded or irregular muscular columns which project from the inner surface of the right and left ventricle of the heart. These are different from the pectinate muscles, which are present in the atria of the heart. In development, trabeculae carneae are among the first of the cardiac structures to develop in the embryonic cardiac tube. Further, throughout development some trabeculae carneae condense to form the myocardium, papillary muscles, chordae tendineae, and septum.

The papillary muscles are muscles located in the ventricles of the heart. They attach to the cusps of the atrioventricular valves via the chordae tendineae and contract to prevent inversion or prolapse of these valves on systole.