HSCI-102 Lecture 4: 4 - Electrical Heart
7 Feb 2019
School
Department
Course
Professor
Heart Wall
Cardiomyocyte Cells
Cardiomyocytes are cardiac muscle cells
Some features:
a) Striated
b) 50-100 micrometers long
c) Diameter: 20 micrometers (smaller than skeletal muscle cells)
d) Branched at the end
e) MONO nucleated (skeletal muscle cells are multinucleated)
f) Reduced sarcoplasmic reticulum system, increased T tubule system
g) Hella many big mitochondria
Unique features:
a) Intercalated discs: layered
b) Desmosomes: for mechanical coupling
c) Gap junctions: for electrical coupling
Contractile cells:
a) Cardiomyocytes
b) Mostly atrial and ventricular tissue
c) Contraction and transfer of electrical signals
Conductile cells:
a) SPECIAL cardiomyocytes
b) Generate electrical activity
c) Conduction system
d) Spread electrical activity across the contractile cells
