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Viewed through a microscope, cardiac muscle cells are roughly rectangular, measuring 100–150μm by 30–40μm. [9] Individual cardiac muscle cells are joined at their ends by intercalated discs to form long fibers. Each cell contains myofibrils, specialized protein contractile fibers of actin and myosin that slide past each other
Cardiac cells have two refractory periods, the first from the beginning of phase 0 until part way through phase 3; this is known as the absolute refractory period during which it is impossible for the cell to produce another action potential. This is immediately followed, until the end of phase 3, by a relative refractory period, during which a ...
Illustration depicting the layers of the heart wall including the innermost endocardium. The endocardium (pl.: endocardia) is the innermost layer of tissue that lines the chambers of the heart. Its cells are embryologically and biologically similar to the endothelial cells that line blood vessels. The endocardium also provides protection to the ...
Muscle cells develop from embryonic precursor cells called myoblasts. [1] Skeletal muscle cells form by fusion of myoblasts to produce multinucleated cells in a process known as myogenesis. [4] [5] Skeletal muscle cells and cardiac muscle cells both contain myofibrils and sarcomeres and form a striated muscle tissue. [6]
The cells that make up the SA node are specialized cardiomyocytes known as pacemaker cells that can spontaneously generate cardiac action potentials. These signals are propagated through the heart's electrical conduction system. [1] [2] Only one percent of the heart muscle cells are conductive, the rest of the cardiomyocytes are contractile.
Cardiac muscle cells branch freely and are connected by junctions known as intercalated discs which help the synchronized contraction of the muscle. [4] The sarcolemma (membrane) from adjacent cells bind together at the intercalated discs.
Intercalated discs are complex structures that connect adjacent cardiac muscle cells. The three types of cell junction recognised as making up an intercalated disc are desmosomes, fascia adherens junctions, and gap junctions. [2] Fascia adherens are anchoring sites for actin, and connect to the closest sarcomere. [3]
Cardiac muscle lies between the epicardium and the endocardium in the heart. [4] Cardiac muscle cells generally only contain one nucleus, located in the central region. They contain many mitochondria and myoglobin. [5] Unlike skeletal muscle, cardiac muscle cells are unicellular. [4]