Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 4, 2025

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

Published on: December 22, 2020

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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
PubMed

Insights

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.

Keywords:
Conduction tissuesanimal speciesdevelopmentfast pathwayslow pathway

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