Madeleine S. answered 06/30/23
Experienced Teacher w/ Psych BA Tutors Music, Math, English, and More
- Impulse conduction across the heart is generated by specialized cardiac muscle cells called pacemaker cells in the sinoatrial (SA) node of the right atrium.
- The pacemaker cells generate electrical impulses that spread through the atria, causing them to contract and pump blood into the ventricles.
- The electrical impulse travels to the atrioventricular (AV) node, which delays the impulse to allow the atria to fully contract before transmitting the impulse to the ventricles.
- The impulse then travels down the bundle of His, which divides into left and right bundle branches that then divide into smaller Purkinje fibers.
- The Purkinje fibers distribute the impulse throughout the ventricles, causing them to contract in a coordinated manner and pump blood out of the heart.
- The coordinated generation and conduction of electrical impulses across the heart is essential for the normal functioning of the heart and the maintenance of an effective circulation.
- Any disruption to this conduction system can lead to abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmias.