13- Cardiac Action Potentials & Conduction Flashcards
What is the order of the cardiac action potential, generally?
SA Node AV Node Bundle of His Right/Left Bundle Branch (Left subdivides further) Purkinje Fibers
***All of these can have pacemaker properties under the right conditions!
What is usually considered the pacemaker of the heart?
SA Node
During which phase of an acton potential is the membrane potential closest to the K+ equilibrium potential throughout that phase?
A) Phase 0 B) Phase 1 C) Phase 2 D) Phase 3 E) Phase 4
E) Phase 4
What is the major cause of depolarization (phase 0) of a neuronal action potential?
A) Decreased K+ conductance B) Increased Ca2+ conductance C) Increased Na+ conductance D) Increased K+ conductance E) Decreased Ca2+ conductance
C) Increased Na+ conductance
Which of the following is the major contributor to repolarization of an excitable cell’s action potential?
A) Opening of voltage-gated K+ channels B) Opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels C) Closure of voltage-gated K+ channels D) Opening of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels E) Closure of Na+/K+ ATPase
A) Opening of voltage-gated K+ channels
Conduction velocity of the heart gets faster as the cells/fiber diameter (INCREASES/DECREASES).
Increases
Rank the following components of the heart from fastest to slowest based on their conduction velocity:
A) AV Node
B) Purkinje Fibers
C) Atrial and Ventricular Myocytes
B) Purkinje Fibers
C) Atrial and Ventricular Myocytes
A) AV Node
These can also create action potentials and beat spontaneously, but they are much slower than the SA Node.
AV Node (slower) Purkinje Fibers (slowest)
This is the term for maintaining order for the pacemaker of the heart. The SA Node will remove pacemaker activities from the AV Node or Purkinje Fibers because it fires the fastest, making sure it maintains order for the heart.
Overdrive Suppression
Which Atrium will contract first?
Right Atrium then Left Atrium
The (EPICARDIUM/ENDOCARDIUM) will contract prior to the (EPICARDIUM/ENDOCARDIUM).
Endocardium
Epicardium
The (LEFT/RIGHT) Ventricle epicardium will contract before the (LEFT/RIGHT) Ventricle epicardium.
Right
Left
Describe the Na+ current (I-Na).
Activated when threshold is reached, and is the opening of the voltage-gated Na+ channel.
Phase 0 and 1
Describe the Transient Outward K+ current (I-to).
Activated when the cell depolarizes, and there is very rapid depolarization via the opening of K+ channels.
Phase 1
Describe the Calcium current (I-Ca).
Activated when the cell depolarizes, (L-type Ca Channel) slow to open and remains open for a determined amount of time then closes causing Phase 3.
Phase 2 and a little of Phase 3
Describe the Inward Rectifying K+ current (I-K1).
Activated when the cell depolarizes, slow to closed and remains closed for a determined amount of time then opens helping with Phase 3. Still voltage-sensing.
Phase 2 and 3