Ventricular syncytium
Ventricular Syncytium
Ventricular syncytium (pronunciation: ven-TRIK-yuh-lur sin-SISH-uhm) is a network of cardiac muscle cells interconnected by gap junctions that allow the rapid transmission of electrical impulses across the heart. This network is responsible for the coordinated contraction of the ventricles during the cardiac cycle.
Etymology
The term "ventricular syncytium" is derived from the Latin word "ventriculus", meaning "little belly", referring to the chambers of the heart, and the Greek word "synkytisma", meaning "to join together", referring to the interconnected nature of the cells.
Structure and Function
The ventricular syncytium is composed of cardiomyocytes, the muscle cells of the heart, which are connected by intercalated discs. These discs contain gap junctions, which allow for the rapid transmission of electrical impulses from cell to cell. This allows for the coordinated contraction of the ventricles, which is necessary for the effective pumping of blood throughout the body.
Related Terms
- Cardiac cycle: The sequence of events that occur when the heart beats.
- Cardiomyocytes: The muscle cells of the heart.
- Gap junctions: Specialized intercellular connections that allow for direct electrical and metabolic coupling of adjacent cells.
- Intercalated discs: Specialized structures found in heart muscle tissue that enable the rapid transmission of electrical impulses between cells.
See Also
- Atrial syncytium: The network of cardiac muscle cells in the atria of the heart.
- Cardiac conduction system: The system of specialized cardiac muscle cells responsible for transmitting the electrical impulses that regulate the heart's rhythm.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ventricular syncytium
- Wikipedia's article - Ventricular syncytium
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