Atrioventricular Node
Atrioventricular Node
The Atrioventricular Node (pronounced: A-tree-o-ven-TRIK-yoo-lar Node), often abbreviated as AV Node, is a key component of the Cardiac Conduction System in the heart.
Etymology
The term "Atrioventricular" is derived from the Latin words "atrium" and "ventriculus" which mean "entrance hall" and "little belly" respectively. The term "node" is derived from the Latin "nodus" meaning "knot".
Function
The primary function of the AV Node is to act as a gatekeeper for electrical impulses travelling from the atria to the ventricles. It delays these impulses, allowing the atria to fully contract before the ventricles do. This delay ensures that the ventricles receive the maximum amount of blood before they contract.
Related Terms
- Sinoatrial Node: The natural pacemaker of the heart that initiates each heartbeat.
- Bundle of His: A collection of heart muscle cells that transmit electrical impulses from the AV Node to the ventricles.
- Purkinje Fibers: Specialized muscle fibers that spread the electrical impulse to the ventricles, causing them to contract.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Atrioventricular Node
- Wikipedia's article - Atrioventricular Node
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski