FORM & FUNCTION (Cardiac Muscle) Flashcards

1
Q

Cardiac muscle function:

A

-generates waves of contraction responsible for squeezing the heart to pump blood throughout the body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Cardiac muscle connected to:

A

-pulmonary circulation (lungs)
-systemic circulation (rest of the body)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Four chambers:

A

-right atrium (RA), right ventricle (RV) to the lungs
-left atrium (LA), left ventricle (LV) to systemic organs
*left: oxygenated (red)
*right: deoxygenated (left)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Cardiac muscle fibers:

A

-contractile fibers (striated and like skeletal fiber)
-conduction fibers (ex. pacemakers)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Contractile fibers:

A

-cardiomyocytes form complex junctions between extended processes
-only 1-2 centrally located nuclei
-dark-staining lines
-junctions at intercalated discs: desmosomes and fascia adherents
-gap junctions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Desmosomes:

A

-joins the intermediate filaments in one cell to the neighbouring (lateral side)
-mechanical strength

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Adherents:

A

-join an actin bundle in one cell to a similar bundle in a neighbouring cell (lateral side)
-mechanical strength

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Dark-staining lines (contractile fibers):

A

-intercalated discs
>interface between cells
*need to contract together!

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Gap junctions: (contractile fibers)

A

-between cells longitudinally
=electrical synapses
-allow Aps to pass in wave from one cell to the next cardiac cells
-all cells contract as a single unit
*functional syncytium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Functional syncytium:

A

-simultaneous contraction of all cardiac muscle fibers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Conducting fibers: specialized cells

A

-nodes (SA and AV node)
-bundles of His
-bundle branches
-Purkinje fibers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Nodes: conducting fibers

A

-generate and relay electrical impulses
-SA node cells: primary pacemakers of the heart

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Bundle of His, Bundle branches and Purkinje fibers: conducting fibers

A

-transmit impulses to the ventricular myocardium

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Conducting fibers: structural characteristics:

A

-few myofibrils: optimized for rapid conduction
-highly branched: allow for quick signal propagation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How does the duration of cardiac muscle AP compare to that of skeletal muscle?

A

-last longer and has a plateau
*lasts as long as the contraction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Sequential propagation of the AP:

A
  1. Initiation in SA (SinoAtrial node)
  2. Propagates through the atria
  3. Through the AV (AtrioVentricular) node
  4. Through the Purkinje fibers
  5. Through the ventricles
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

AP phases in cardiomyocytes:

A
  1. Phase 0: rapid depolarization
  2. Phase 1: initial repolarization
  3. Phase 2: plateau phase
  4. Phase 3: rapid repolarization
  5. Phase 4: resting membrane potential
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Phase 0:

A

-rapid depolarization
-triggered by the opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels
-rapid influx of Na+ ions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Phase 1:

A

-initial repolarization
-closure of Na+ channels and opening of K+ channels
-outward flow of K+ ions

20
Q

Phase 2:

A

-plateau phase
-sustained depolarization
-opening of slow L-type calcium channels (voltage gated) allowing Ca2+ influx
*unique to cardiomyocytes

21
Q

Phase 3:

A

-rapid repolarization
-closure of Ca2+ channels
-rapid outflow of K+ ions

22
Q

Phase 4:

A

-Na/K pump and a Na/Ca exchanger to re-establish ion balance

23
Q

Regulation of L-type Ca channel:

A
  1. Sympathetic: E binds to beta-adrenergic receptor (GPCR) leading to activation of adenylyl cyclase=increased cAMP
  2. Parasympathetic: ACh binds to muscarinic cholinergic receptor leading to inactivation of adenylyl cyclase=decreased cAMP
    *cAMP activates PKA that phosphorylates L-type Ca2+ channels
24
Q

Phosphorylated L-type Ca2+ channel:

A

-more likely to open

25
Q

T-tubules and SR in cardiac muscle:

A

-larger T-tubules and less developed SR=’dyads’ rather than ‘triad’
-DHPR does NOT mechanically affect RyR opening
-rise in intracellular Ca2+ comes form extracellular space through DHPR from the t-tubules
>more Ca2+ released by Ca-induced Ca release mechanism through RyRs
*cross-bridge cycling is the same as skeletal muscle

26
Q

Contrast between skeletal and cardiac muscle AP:

A

-AP of cardiac has a plateau phase and a long refractory period: overlaps the time scale of force generation
*prolonged refractory period until the end of contraction means no summation occurs in cardiac muscle

27
Q

Length-tension relationship: skeletal vs. cardiac muscle

A

-skeletal: wider range of length over which tension is near optimum
-cardiac myocyte: narrower and steeper curve

28
Q

Skeletal and cardiac muscle at 75% sarcomere length

A

-skeletal: 84% force
-cardiac: 0% force

29
Q

Cardiac myocyte length-tension: increase from 75 to 90% sarcomere length

A

-increases tension from 0-70% of the maximum
-tension that develops during contraction increases with increased length: Frank Starling Relationship

30
Q

Frank Starling Relationship

A

*when change of cardiac muscle it will produce more force
-more blood volume=stretch cardiac muscle more=need more force to pump it around the body

31
Q

Force-velocity relationship: skeletal vs. cardiac muscle

A

-skeletal: Vmax=0 force (different for different fiber types)
-cardiac muscle: if increase preload or contractibility you get more force and increased Vmax

32
Q

Increase preload: cardiac muscle:

A

-stretching of cardiac cells before contraction
*increases force

33
Q

Increased contractility:

A

-heart’s inherent capacity to contract

34
Q

Preload:

A

-volume of blood in the ventricle prior to contraction

35
Q

Inotrophy:

A

-contractility refers to how powerful the heart can contract

36
Q

Energy sources for cardiac muscles:

A

*oxidative phosphorylation
-60% of ATP from FFA
-30% of ATP from glucose and other CHO
-glycogen granules and lipid droplets are abundant
-lactate, ketone bodies and AA can be used for energy
-ATP creatine phosphate system

37
Q

ATP Creatine phosphate system:

A

-creatine kinase-MB (isoforms in heart muscle) is a biomarker for myocardial infraction (heart attack
>now clinicians use troponin

38
Q

Oxygen demand for cardiac muscles:

A

*required
-almost entirely aerobic
-depends heavily on oxygen supply
-relies on myoglobin to store and release oxygen within cells
-limited capacity to use glycolysis

39
Q

Fatigue of cardiac muscles:

A

-high resistance due to constant demand for ATP and rich blood supply
>lots of mitochondria to make sure they don’t fatigue

40
Q

Mitochondrial density of cardiac muscles:

A

-make up 25-30% of cell volume
(skeletal: only 2% of cell volume)

41
Q

Cardiac muscle: innervation receptors

A

-ACh receptors: muscarinic cholinergic (slow GPCR)
-E/NE receptors: beta-adrenergic receptor

42
Q

Cardiac muscle innervation divisions:

A

-autonomic system
-sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation

43
Q

Sympathetic stimulation:

A

-NT: NE
-increases heart rate and contractility
-beta-adrenergic receptor activates the cAMP second-messenger system

44
Q

Parasympathetic stimulation:

A

-NT: ACh
-decreases heart rate
-muscarinic receptors

45
Q

Cardiac muscle adaptation:

A

-hypertrophy
-hyperplasia: NOT
>if myocardial fibers die, they are replaced by fibrous noncontractile scar tissues