The valves are held open or

closed by chordae tendinae which

are attached at the other end to
the papillary muscles in the
ventricle walls.

The valves open to let blood

through and then snap shut. This
sound of the valves closing is the
‘lub dub’ sound of the heartbeat.

muscle of the heart is cardiac

muscle and is made of tightly
connecting cells. This close
contact allows rapid ion transport
from cell to cell. This then allows
smooth, efficient waves of
depolarisation to produce
contractions (and repolarisation to
bring about relaxation), which
pass through the heart.
The tissue is said to be myogenic
i.e. it does not need electrical
impulses from a nerve to make it
contract. If the cardiac muscle is
supplied with oxygen and
nutrients (a task carried out by
the coronary arteries which you
can see running over the surface
of the heart) it will continue to
contract at a steady pace.
Nerves supplying the heart,
though they are not needed to
start the contractions, can bring about an increase or decrease in the rate of contractions when
appropriate.