Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 4, 2025
05:16
Whole-Mount Immunofluorescence Staining, Confocal Imaging and 3D Reconstruction of the Sinoatrial and Atrioventricular Node in the Mouse
Published on: December 22, 2020
6.0K
Inferior Extensions of the Atrioventricular Node
Robert H Anderson1, Jill Pjm Hikspoors2, Justin T Tretter3
1Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.
Arrhythmia & Electrophysiology Review
|February 2, 2022
Summary
This review clarifies the anatomical pathways of the atrioventricular node in human hearts, detailing connections from atrial myocardium to the compact atrioventricular node and their developmental origins.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Developmental Biology
- Anatomy
Background:
- The atrioventricular node has distinct "fast" and "slow" excitation pathways.
- Existing knowledge primarily stems from mammalian studies, with limited human-specific anatomical detail.
- Understanding these pathways is crucial for comprehending cardiac electrophysiology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the anatomical details of human atrioventricular node pathways.
- To correlate findings from human cardiac development with adult human heart anatomy.
- To elucidate the contributions of different myocardial sources to nodal inputs.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent research on human cardiac development.
- Correlation of developmental findings with serial sectioning of adult human hearts.
- Analysis of connections between atrial myocardium and the compact atrioventricular node.
Main Results:
- Detailed description of superior ("fast") and inferior ("slow") atrioventricular node pathways in humans.
- Identification of contributions from atrioventricular canal myocardium and primary ring structures.
- Characterization of atrial septal cardiomyocytes as late contributors to nodal input.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a detailed anatomical map of human atrioventricular node pathways based on developmental and adult heart analysis.
- Findings clarify the origins and arrangement of myocardial connections to the atrioventricular node.
- This research enhances understanding of human cardiac electrophysiology and development.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Conduction System of the Heart
1.9K
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:...
This system relies on the unique properties of nodal and Purkinje cells:...
1.9K
01:16Chambers of the Heart
6.2K
The human heart is a complex organ made up of four chambers: the right and left atria and the right and left ventricles. These internal chambers are separated by partitions known as the interatrial and interventricular septa. The exterior of the heart features a groove known as the coronary sulcus that demarcates the atria from the ventricles, while the anterior and posterior interventricular sulci distinguish between the two ventricles.
Deoxygenated blood from the body is received in the right...
Deoxygenated blood from the body is received in the right...
6.2K
01:27Development of the Heart
1.3K
The development of the human heart, a crucial organ, commences from the mesoderm on the 18th or 19th day after fertilization. This process initiates in the cardiogenic area, a group of mesodermal cells at the embryo's head end, which evolves into elongated strands known as cardiogenic cords. These cords undergo a transformation to form hollow-centered endocardial tubes.
As the embryo undergoes lateral folding, these paired tubes approach each other, merging into a single primitive heart...
As the embryo undergoes lateral folding, these paired tubes approach each other, merging into a single primitive heart...
1.3K
01:25ECG Interpretation of Arrhythmias II: Atrial, Junctional and Ventricular Arrhythmias
193
Arrhythmia is a condition characterized by an irregular heart rhythm, with ECG changes that differ based on its origin and nature. The types of arrhythmias discussed below include atrial, junctional, and ventricular arrhythmias.Atrial ArrhythmiasPremature Atrial Complexes (PACs): PACs are early atrial beats caused by stress, caffeine, alcohol, electrolyte imbalances, hypoxia, hyperthyroidism, or certain medications (e.g., bronchodilators and decongestants). The ECG shows early P waves with an...
193
01:13The Cardiac Cycle
91.6K
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...
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...
91.6K
01:19Electrophysiology of Normal Cardiac Rhythm
7.2K
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...
7.2K