Histology of Heart

Conducting System
The cardiac wall consists of 3 layers :
1.Endocardium :
•a very thin inner layer of endothelium and supporting
connective tissue,
•a middle myoelastic layer of smooth muscle fibers and
connective tissue,
•a deep layer of connective tissue called the subendocardial
layer that merges with the myocardium. Branches of the
heart’s impulse-conducting system, consisting of modified
cardiac muscle fibers, are also located in the subendocardial
layer
2.Myocardium
•cardiac muscle with its fibers arranged spirally around each
heart chamber
•The myocardium consists of three cell types:
1.Contractile cardiocytes, which contract to pump blood
through the circulation.
2.Myoendocrine cardiocytes, producing atrial natriuretic factor
3.Nodal cardiocytes, specialized to control the rhythmic
contraction of the heart. These cells are located in (1) the
sinoatrial node, at the superior vena cava–right atrium
junction; and (2) the atrioventricular node, present under the
endocardium of the interatrial and interventricular septa
3. Epicardium
• simple squamous mesothelium supported by a layer of loose connective
tissue containing blood vessels and nerves
Conducting system of the heart
• generates and propagates waves of depolarization that spread
through the myocardium to stimulate rhythmic contractions
• consists of two nodes of specialized myocardial tissue in the right
atrium:
• the sinoatrial (SA) node (or pacemaker)
• the atrioventricular (AV) node,
• followed by the AV bundle (of His) and
• the subendocardial conducting network
SA Node
• Located in the right atrial wall near the superior vena cava
• 6- to 7 mm^3 mass of cardiac muscle cells
• Smaller size, fewer myofibrils, and fewer typical intercalated disks
than the neighboring muscle fibers
• Generates impulses to cause rhythmic contractions of the cardiac
muscle
• The pacemaker rate of the SA node is about 60 to 100 beats per
minute
AV Node
• located in the floor of the right atrium near the AV valve
• composed of cells similar to those of the SA node
• the atrial impulse is delayed before reaching the ventricles it is because :
• the small diameter of nodal myocytes (conduction velocity is function of cell
diameter)
• the complex arrangement of the myocytes (nodal myocytes can be separated by
extensive connective tissue), which is expected to slow conduction, because the
action potential will have to follow a more tortuous path through the AV node.
• In part, the slow conduction velocity of the AV node is also the result of the poor
expression of Na+ channels
• the slow conduction velocity of the AV node is also the result of poor electrical
coupling between the myocytes of the AV node
AV bundle (of His) and the subendocardial conducting network
(Purkinje fibers)

• an elongated segment connecting the AV Node and the left and right
bundle branches of the septal crest.
• It is approximately 1.8 cm long in an adult heart
•  primarily located deep within the dense connective tissue
• characterized by longitudinal collagen partitioning histology,
distinguishing it from the AV node
• intercalated discs in the bundle of His differ from the myocardial cells
such that the discs in the bundle of His are oriented obliquely
compared to the perpendicular alignment seen in the myocardium
cross-sectional view
• conducts the impulse from the atria to the ventricles
• At the apex of the heart, the bundles branch further into a
subendocardial conducting network of myofibers, usually called
Purkinje fibers
Purkinje fibers
• pale-staining fibers, larger than the adjacent contractile muscle fibers
• sparse, peripheral myofibrils
• diameter of the fiber is larger
• give a positive reaction for acetylcholinesterase
• contain abundant glycogen
• striated and are linked to each other by atypical intercalated disks
• beneath the endocardium lining the two sides of the interventricular
• conduct the impulse to all parts of the ventricles