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The Cardiac Conduction System

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Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices

Abstract

Orderly contractions of the atria and ventricles are regulated by the transmission of electrical impulses that pass through modified cardiac muscle cells (the cardiac conduction system) interposed within the contractile myocardium. This intrinsic conduction system is composed of specialized subpopulations of cells that spontaneously generate electrical activity (pacemaker cells) or preferentially conduct this activity throughout the heart. Following an initiating activation (or depolarization) within the myocardium, this electrical excitation spreads throughout the heart in a rapid and highly coordinated fashion. This system of cells also functionally controls the timing of the transfer of activity between the atrial and ventricular chambers. Interestingly, a common global architecture is present in mammals, with significant interspecies differences existing at the histological level (1,2).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN

    Timothy G. Laske PhD

  2. Departments of Surgery, Physiology, and Anesthesiology, Director of Education for the Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

    Paul A. Iaizzo PhD

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  1. Timothy G. Laske PhD
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  2. Paul A. Iaizzo PhD
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  1. Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

    Paul A. Iaizzo PhD

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© 2005 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Laske, T.G., Iaizzo, P.A. (2005). The Cardiac Conduction System. In: Iaizzo, P.A. (eds) Handbook of Cardiac Anatomy, Physiology, and Devices. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-835-9_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-835-9_9

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-443-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59259-835-9

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