key term - Purkinje fibers

Definition

Purkinje fibers are specialized muscle fibers located in the walls of the heart's ventricles, responsible for conducting electrical impulses that trigger heart contractions. They ensure the simultaneous contraction of the ventricles, allowing efficient blood pumping throughout the body.

Related terms

Sinoatrial Node (SA node): The pacemaker of the heart that initiates each heartbeat by generating an electrical impulse.

Atrioventricular Node (AV node): A cluster of cells situated between the atria and ventricles that delays and relays electrical impulses from the atria to the ventricles.

Cardiac Conduction System: The network of nodes and fibers, including the SA node, AV node, His bundle, and Purkinje fibers, responsible for transmitting electrical signals through the heart