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Conduction System of the Heart

Conduction System of the Heart

Autorhythmicity is a term that refers to the heart's inherent ability to generate electrical signals and instigate muscle contractions. This self-regulating conduction system within the heart consists of two key components: the pacemaker cells and specialized conducting cells.
The pacemaker cells are located in two primary nodes: the sinoatrial (SA) node and the atrioventricular (AV) node. The SA node pacemaker cells can autonomously depolarize, triggering an action potential that leads to the...

Conduction System of the Heart

Conduction System of the Heart

The cardiac conduction system produces and transmits electrical impulses that prompt myocardial contraction, ensuring efficient heart function. This intricate system ensures that the heart beats in a coordinated and efficient manner, beginning with the atria and then the ventricles. The conduction system optimizes cardiac output by maintaining this precise sequence, which is crucial for adequate blood circulation.
This system relies on the unique properties of nodal and Purkinje cells:...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

DiI-Labeling of DRG Neurons to Study Axonal Branching in a Whole Mount Preparation of Mouse Embryonic Spinal Cord

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Published on: December 13, 2011

Discontinuous conduction in mouse bundle branches is caused by bundle-branch architecture.

Toon A B van Veen¹, Harold V M van Rijen, Marjan J A van Kempen

¹Department of Medical Physiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. A.A.B.vanVeen@med.uu.nl

|October 6, 2005

Summary

Reduced conduction velocity in mouse bundle branches (BBs) is due to increased path length from BB geometry, not altered electrical properties. This finding clarifies the mechanism behind slowed electrical signal propagation in the heart. Keywords: bundle branch conduction velocity, heart electrical activity, cardiac electrophysiology.

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Area of Science:

Cardiac Electrophysiology
Cardiovascular Anatomy

Background:

Electrical recordings of mouse bundle branches (BBs) indicate slower conduction velocity (CV) in the midseptal region compared to the proximal BB.
The underlying mechanism for this observed conduction slowing requires elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the mechanism responsible for reduced CV in the midseptal part of the mouse BB.
To correlate BB geometry and connexin distribution with CV characteristics.

Main Methods:

Isolated, Langendorff-perfused mouse hearts (n=16) were mapped using a 247-point electrode array.
Conduction velocity restitution was assessed using premature stimulation.
Connexin expression (Cx40, Cx43, Cx45) and BB morphology were analyzed.

Main Results:

Midseptal BB CV was reduced by 50% compared to proximal BB, with similar CV restitution.
Connexin expression varied, with Cx43 present only in the distal BB.
Midseptal and distal BBs exhibited complex interlacing fiber networks, contrasting with the proximal BB's parallel fibers.

Conclusions:

BB geometry, specifically increased path length due to complex fiber networks, accounts for the reduced CV in the midseptal region.
Differences in subcellular gap junction distribution may also contribute.
The findings highlight the role of structural factors in cardiac electrical conduction.