Cardiac muscle properties Flashcards
What are the cardiac muscle properties?
Property 1: Rhythmicity (Chronotropism)
Property 2: Conductivity (Dromotropism)
Property 3: Excitability (Bathmotropism)
Property 4: Contractility (Inotropism)
Property 1: What is rhythmicity?
Myogenic ability of the heart to beat regularly without nerve supply (automaticity)
+ve and -ve chronotropic effects
+ve chronotropic = increased heart rate
-ve chronotropic = decreased heart rate
How is rhythmicity initiated?
Pacemaker cells of the heart in the SA node
Why is the SAN the pacemaker of the heart?
Resting membrane potential (RMP) between -55 and -60 mv
RMP is unstable
SAN has higher rhythm and higher slope
Phases of pacemaker potential
Phase 0, 3 and 4
Events of phase 0 of pacemaker potential?
Rapid depolarization due to opening of L-type calcium channels
Events of Phase 3 of pacemaker potential?
Repolarization of pacemaker cells due to opening of K+ channels and closure of Ca++ channels
Events of Phase 4 of pacemaker potential?
Spontaneous depolarization/diastolic depolarization/prepotential/funny current (If) due to opening of slow Na+ channels
Rhythm of cardiac muscle fibers
SAN: Initiates heart beats from 90-110 beats/min
AVN: Initiates heart beats from 50-60 beats/min
Bundle branches: Initiates heart beats, 45 beats/min
Purkinje fiber: Initiates heart beats from 15-35 beats/min
Ventricles: Initiates heart beats from 25 beats/min
Property 2: What is conductivity?
The ability of the cardiac muscle to conduct cardiac impulse from one part to another
+ve and -ve dromotropic effect
+ve dromotropic = increased conduction
-ve dromotropic = decreased condution
What are the conducting fibers of the heart?
Atrioventricular bundle (Bundle of His)
Right and left bundle branches
Purkinje fibers
Describe the conduction of an impulse
(1) Pacemarker of the heart (SAN)
(2) Internodal and interatrial tract - (A) Connects SA node and AV node (B) Has a faster rate of conduction than the atrial muscles (C) Composed of three tracts, anterior, intermediate and posterior (D) Interatrial tract (Bachmann’s bundle which conducts impulses from the SAN to the left atrium)
(3) Atrioventricular node - (A) conducting path between atria and ventricles (B) Slow velocity of conduction (0.05 m/sec) (C) 0.1sec nodal delay (decremental conduction). Nodal delay due to fewer gap junctions and small fiber size
(4) Bundle of His - (A) Begins from AV node and passes through the interventricular septum (B) Divides into right and left bundle branches (C) Conduction speed 1-2m/sec
(5) Purkinje fibers - (A) Conduction velocity of 4-5m/sec (B) Largest conducting fiber + more gap junctions (C) Passes impulses to ventricular myocytes in the ventricular walls (D) Fast conduction enables both ventricles to contract simultaneously
Significance of AV nodal delay
(1) Allow atria to completely depolarize, contract and empty its blood before the ventricular depolarisation and contraction
(2) Limit the passage of the electrical signals that can activate the ventricles to allow sufficient time for ventricles to relax and to be filled with blood before they contract
Which fiber has the fastest and slowest conduction?
Fastest = Purkinje fibers
Slowest = AV node
SA node is not considered the slowest because it is not a conducting fiber
Property 3: What is Excitability?
Ability of the cardiac muscle to respond to stimulation
What is the resting membrane potential of the cardiac muscle cell?
-90 to -85mv (low excitability)
What are the phases of cardiac muscle action potential?
Phase 0 (Depolarization)
Phase 1 (Initial Repolarization)
Phase 2 (Plateau)
Phase 3 (Rapid Repolarization)
Phase 4 (Resting Membrane Potential)
Phase 0 of cardiac muscle action potential
Fast sodium channels open
Membrane potential reaches +20mv