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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:...

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...

Gap Junctions

Gap Junctions

Multicellular organisms employ a variety of ways for cells to communicate with each other. Gap junctions are specialized proteins that form pores between neighboring cells in animals, connecting the cytoplasm between the two, and allowing for the exchange of molecules and ions. They are found in a wide range of invertebrate and vertebrate species, mediate numerous functions including cell differentiation and development, and are associated with numerous human diseases, including cardiac and...

Gap Junctions

Gap Junctions

The cytoplasm of adjacent animal cells can exchange small molecules, ions, and secondary messengers via the communication channels which form the gap junctions. These junctions comprise a few hundred to thousands of molecular channels, each made of two halves, called the connexon hemichannel. A connexon is a hexamer of six transmembrane connexin proteins, which assemble radially, thus forming a pore or channel in the center. One connexon hemichannel docks with a corresponding connexon on the...

Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm

Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm

The normal cardiac rhythm is a synchronized electrical activity that facilitates the regular and coordinated contraction of the heart muscle. This process is essential for efficient blood circulation throughout the body. The fundamental elements involved in establishing and maintaining this rhythm include the unique electrical properties of cardiac muscle cells, the sinoatrial (SA) node's pacemaker function, the specialized conducting system, and the ionic mechanisms underlying each phase of...

The Cardiac Cycle

The Cardiac Cycle

The heart beats rhythmically in a sequence called the cardiac cycle—a rapid coordination of contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole).
The Process
Electrical signals—sent from the sinoatrial (SA) node in the right atrial wall to the atrioventricular (AV) node between the right atrium and right ventricle—cause both atria to simultaneously contract. When the signal reaches the AV node, it pauses for approximately a tenth of a second, allowing the atria to contract and empty blood into the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Whole-Mount Immunofluorescence Staining, Confocal Imaging and 3D Reconstruction of the Sinoatrial and Atrioventricular Node in the Mouse

Whole-Mount Immunofluorescence Staining, Confocal Imaging and 3D Reconstruction of the Sinoatrial and Atrioventricular Node in the Mouse

Published on: December 22, 2020

Connexins and the atrioventricular node.

Ian P Temple¹, Shin Inada, Halina Dobrzynski

¹Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Core Technology Facility, 46 Grafton St, Manchester, UK.

|October 23, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The atrioventricular (AV) node

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Isolation of Atrial Myocytes from Adult Mice

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Published on: July 25, 2019

Area of Science:

Cardiovascular Physiology
Cardiac Electrophysiology
Molecular Cardiology

Background:

The atrioventricular (AV) node's complex structure and function remain poorly understood.
Understanding AV node physiology is crucial for diagnosing and treating cardiac arrhythmias.

Purpose of the Study:

To review and integrate current knowledge on connexin expression within the AV node.
To elucidate how connexin patterning contributes to the unique electrophysiological properties of the AV node.

Main Methods:

Review of existing literature on AV node structure, function, and connexin expression.
Integration of data on connexin isoforms, single channel conductances, and their spatial distribution.

Main Results:

Complex patterning of four connexin isoforms explains the AV node's dual pathway electrophysiology.
Connexin distribution accounts for nodal extensions, longitudinal dissociation, and slow conduction.
Connexin patterning is a result of cardiac conduction system embryonic development.

Conclusions:

Connexin expression patterns are fundamental to AV node function and slow conduction.
Dysregulation of connexins may underlie various forms of AV node dysfunction.
This review highlights the critical role of molecular composition in cardiac electrical activity.