The Heart
Membrane of two cells clearly seen. The spread of ions through gap
junctions of the Intercalated discs (I) allows the AP to pass from cell to cell
Copyright John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Cardiac Conduction
The self-excitable myocytes that "act like nerves" have
the 2 important roles of forming the conduction system of
the heart and acting as pacemakers within that system.
Because it has the fastest rate of depolarization, the
normal pacemaker of the heart is the
sinoatrial (SA) node, located in the
right atrial wall just below
where the superior vena
cava enters the chamber.
Copyright John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Cardiac Conduction
Spontaneous
Depolarization of autorhythmic fibers in the SA node
firing about once every 0.8 seconds, or 75 action
potentials per minute
Copyright John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Cardiac Conduction
The action potential generated from the SA node reaches
the next pacemaker by propagating throughout the wall
of the atria to the AV node in the interatrial septum.
At the AV node, the signal is
slowed, allowing the atrium
a chance to mechanically
move blood into
the ventricles.
Left atrium
Right
Right atrium
atrium
2 ATRIOVENTRICULAR
(AV) NODE
3 ATRIOVENTRICULAR (AV)
BUNDLE (BUNDLE OF HIS)
Left ventricle
4 RIGHT AND LEFT
BUNDLE BRANCHES
Right
Right ventricle
ventricle
5 PURKINJE FIBERS
80
100
0.3 sec
Depolarization Repolarization
Refractory period
Contraction
6
6 Ventricular diastole
(relaxation) P
Action potential
in SA node
0 0.2 2 Atrial systole
(contraction)
Seconds
P
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8
Seconds
5 Repolarization
5 of
ventricular contractile 0 0.2
fibers produces T Seconds
wave
3 Depolarization of
ventricular contractile
fibers produces QRS
complex
T
P R
4 Ventricular P
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 systole
Seconds (contraction)
Q
S
0 0.2 0.4
Seconds
P
0 0.2 0.4
Copyright John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Seconds
The Electrocardiogram
(Interactions Animation)
ECG
AV SL Outflow
Atrial
Ventricular
Open Closed systole
diastole
Cardiac Output