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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...

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:...

Specialized Characteristics of Cardiac Muscles

Specialized Characteristics of Cardiac Muscles

The primary role of cardiac muscles is to propel blood throughout the cardiovascular system. The cardiac muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, exhibit specialized characteristics that allow them to perform this function.
Cardiac muscle cells are smaller than skeletal muscles, averaging 10–20 mm in diameter and 50–100 mm in length. However, they have large energy demands for continuous contraction and relaxation. This energy is almost exclusively derived from aerobic metabolism of energy...

Cardiac Action Potential

Cardiac Action Potential

Cardiac action potentials are essential for proper heart function, enabling the rhythmic contractions needed for adequate blood circulation. Nodal cells and Purkinje fibers, specialized for electrical conduction, generate these action potentials.
The cardiac action potential process involves a series of phases characterized by the movement of ions across the cardiac cell membranes, leading to the depolarization and repolarization of the cardiac myocytes.
Ionic Basis of Cardiac Action Potentials

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 8, 2026

Developing 3D Organized Human Cardiac Tissue within a Microfluidic Platform

Developing 3D Organized Human Cardiac Tissue within a Microfluidic Platform

Published on: June 15, 2021

Self-organizing network simulation of cardiac contraction dynamics.

Runsang Liu¹, Hui Yang¹

¹Complex System Monitoring, Modeling, and Control Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.

Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.)

|December 17, 2025

Summary

This study introduces a novel self-organizing network method to simulate cardiac mechanical contraction dynamics. The approach effectively models contractions in cardiac tissues and the whole heart.

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Area of Science:

Computational Biology
Biophysics
Cardiovascular Research

Background:

Self-organizing networks (SONs) are used for cardiac electrical dynamics simulation.
Limited research exists on network simulation of cardiac mechanical contraction dynamics.
Existing models do not fully capture the complex mechanical behavior of the heart.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a new self-organizing network methodology for simulating cardiac mechanical contraction dynamics.
To model the heart's mechanical contractions using an interconnected spring-mass-damper system.
To provide a flexible simulation framework for cardiac tissues and the whole heart.

Main Methods:

Developed a novel self-organizing network methodology for cardiac contraction simulation.
Modeled the self-organizing network as an interconnected spring-mass-damper system.
Solved networked dynamic equations to simulate mechanical contraction dynamics.

Main Results:

The proposed methodology effectively models contraction dynamics in excitable media.
The simulation approach was successfully evaluated on 2D cardiac tissues and a 3D heart model.
Demonstrated the flexibility of the methodology for whole-heart simulations.

Conclusions:

The novel self-organizing network methodology enables effective simulation of cardiac mechanical contraction dynamics.
The approach offers a new pathway for studying cardiac mechanics and developing personalized treatments.
The methodology is adaptable for simulating both localized cardiac tissues and the entire heart.