HUBS192 - Lecture 9 - The excitable heart Flashcards
what are the 2 cells of the heart?
1) contractile cells
2) electrical cells
how many percent of cells of in the heart are contractile cells?
99%
what are 2 features of contractile cells?
- striated appearance
- high actin and myosin (for cross bridges)
how many percent of the cells in the heart are electrical cells?
1%
what are 2 features of electrical cells?
- pale striated appearance (due to low actin and myosin)
- low number of actin and myosin
what is the function of electrical cells?
move an electrical signal from cell to cell to cell as quickly as possible throughout the heart
what is the relationship between actin and myosin and the speed of an electrical impulse in contractile cells?
actin and myosin in the contractile cells slow down the electrical impulse
what does SAN stand for?
sinoatrial node
what is the function of the SAN?
the origin of the electrical signal in the heart
what starts at the SAN in terms of conduction?
depolarisation starts at the senatorial node (SAN)
what is the process of action potential propagation along the surface membrane of electrical and contractile cells?
1) depolarisation starts at the SAN as the electrical signal originates here
2) the electrical signal passes into the electrical cells initiating a heart beat
3) the signal is sent from cell to cell to cell throughout the heart as quickly as possible
4) sends the signal to the neighbouring contractile cells (in contact with the electrical cells) rapidly to initiate contraction
what is present in a contractile cell?
1) increased cytosolic Ca2+ level
2) cross bridge attachment
3) contraction
how is the signal from the electrical cells passed to neighbouring contractile cells?
through intercalated disks (ICD’s) that contain gap junctions that are between the electrical and contractile cells
what are the 2 features of intercalated disks (ICD) that allow the electrical signal to pass through?
1) through pores with low resistance to ionic current
2) that allow current flow between adjacent cells
can you pass an electrical signal through a contractile cell to another contractile cell?
yes, through gap junctions between contractile cells however this is less rapid
what is a functional syncytium?
millions of cardiac cells that behave as one because of the increased speed of impulse throughout the heart
what is the location of the SA node (sinoatrial node)?
bundle of cells on top of the right atrium
what is the SA node known as?
the pacemaker of the heart because the cells are highly specialised to let out a continuous and spontaneous release of electrical energy
what is the only thing the heart requires to perform a heartbeat without being connected to anything else in the body and how does this work?
the heart can function independently to being connected to anything as it only requires blood to provide the ions required and energy. This allows the SA node to be able to trigger the electrical events to make a heart beat therefore the SA node is the only thing required to perform a heartbeat without connection
what is the first step of the conduction pathway of the heart?
-begins at the SA node
the electrical impulse is sent in 3 different directions
1) first some of the electrical impulse is sent directly into the right atrium
2) secondly, sends some of the electrical impulse across the interatrial bundle and over to the left atrium
3) thirdly, through the internodal bundles that lead down to the AV node (atrioventricular node)
where is the interatrial bundle located?
above the 2 ventricles but in between the arteries up in the aorta area