Control of Heart function Flashcards
What anatomical components can the heart be categorised into?
Muscle cells = cardio-myocytes
Specialised electrical cells
Vessels
What are Cardio Myocytes?
Heart muscle cells:
can contract and relax in response to electrical stimuli. Essential for pumping blood around the body
What are Specialised Electrical cells?
Cells that create spontaneous currents and those that transmit currents exist within the heart. Essential for regulating contraction of the cardio-myocytes
What are Vessels used for?
The major blood vessels are responsible for transporting blood in and out of the heart, whilst the coronary blood vessels are responsible for supplying blood to the heart
Which cells are most prominent in controlling heart function?
Electrical Cells
What are the nodes of the heart?
SinoAtrial (SA)
AtrioVentrocular (AV)
What is the pacemaker of the heart and where is it found?
SA node
(pacemaker - beats at 60-100 bpm)
located in the Junction of Cristae terminalis; upper wall of right atrium & opening of superior vena cava
What else has pacemaker potential?
AtrioVentricular node
- has slow calcium mediated action potential
Where is the AV node located?
Triangle of Koch at base of right atrium * diagram
What connects the SAN to the AVN ?
Internodal tracts = specialised myocytes
What is the pathway of the bundle of his (tract)
Atria -> interventricular septum -> bundles branches -> purkinje fibres
What propagates the electrical current along the ventricles?
Purkinje Fibres. They are specialised conducting fibres
What are the Nodal cell action potential phases?
0,3,4
membrane potential between minus 40 and minus 60mV.
Phase 4: is going from -40 to -60 = Pre-potential
Depolarisation to +20mV = Phase 0 (upstroke)
Phase 3: Repolarisation , back down to minus 60mV
What is te depolarisation in a nodal cell due to?
calcium influx (Ca2+ into the nodal cell)
What is the repolarisation in a nodal cell due to?
Potassium efflux
What is the resting potential of a nodal cell?
they don’t have one but instead have a prepotential due to Na+ influx through a ‘funny’ channel
Does the cardiac muscle follow the same action potential shape as the nodes? why/why not?
no, all parts = slightly diff bc of different ion currents flowing and different ion channel expression in cell membrane
Why is Cardiac muscle action potential long?
Cardiac Ap = 200-300ms which is 100x longer than nerves
Long, slow contractions needed to produce an effective pump. (the duration of AP controls the duration of heart contraction)
What is the resting membrane potential of the cardiac muscle cells?
-90mV
Phases of Cardiac muscle AP
Phase 0 = Upstoke - depolarisation phase from -90mv to +20mV due to Na+ influx
Phase 1 = Early repolarisation due to a bit of K+ efflux
Phase 2= plateau due to Ca2+ influx (maintains a level of depolarisation
Phase 3= Repolarisation due to K+ efflux
Phase 4 = Resting membrane potential
How long does it take for a full repolarisation of cardiac muscles?
270ms
What is the Absolute Refractory Period (ARP)?
Time during which no AP can be generated regardless of stimulus intensity.
bc don’t want 1 whilst ur in the middle of another
What limits the maximum rate at which the heart can beat at?
The ARP
What is the Relative Refractory period (RRP)?
Period after an ARP where an AP can be elicited but only with a larger stimulus. They tend not to occur but can if stimulus is strong enough
What is involved in the exogenous regulation of the heart?
- CNS
- Kidney
- Vessels
What is the role of the brain/cns in the activity of the heart?
can effect immediate changes through nerve activity or slower changes through hormonal activity.
it also impacts other systems which subsequently affect the heart
Which nervous system is involved in the control of the heart? (autonomic or somatic)
Autonomic which consist of 2 components = Cardio-regulatory centre & vasomotor centres in medulla
Path of the parasympathetic nerve?
Leaves from medulla and goes to the heart via the vagus nerve
What does the parasympathetic nerve do when its activated?
Decreases heart rate by decreasing the slope of phase 4 in the nodal cell : affects prepotential
mostly SAN but can regulate AVN
What does the sympathetic nerve do when its activated?
Increases heart rate = positive chronotropy
increases slope of nodal cell phase 4
decreases times of ap.
mostly SAN but can regulate AVN
What increases the force of contraction in the heart (part of sympathetic ns)
calcium dynamics
Where do parasympathetic nerves arise from?
Cranial & Sacral part of the spinal cord
imp for controlling heart rate
Structure & neurotransmitter of the ps nerves?
Preganglionic fibres (closer to brain) - release acetyl choline and have nictonic receptors post ganglionic fibre also releases ACh but have muscarinic receptors
Where do the sympathetic nerves arise from?
thoracic & lumbar vertebrae of the spinal cord