Cardiac Muscle Function and Structure

These flashcards cover key concepts related to cardiac muscle structure and function.

Cardiac muscle

A type of involuntary striated muscle found only in the heart.

Automaticity

The ability of cardiac muscle cells to generate spontaneous action potentials.

Sinoatrial (SA) node

The natural pacemaker of the heart that initiates the heartbeat.

Atrioventricular (AV) node

A cluster of cells that transmits action potentials from the atria to the ventricles.

Tetany

A prolonged muscle contraction resulting from a high frequency of impulses.

Mitochondria

Organelles that generate ATP through aerobic respiration, abundant in cardiac muscle.

Action potentials

Electrical signals that trigger muscle contraction.

Atrioventricular (AV) bundle

Also known as the bundle of His, it conducts impulses from the AV node to the ventricles.

Aerobic respiration

A metabolic process that requires oxygen to produce ATP.

Refractory period

A period following a stimulus during which the heart muscle cannot be re-excited.