Cardiac muscle and the Heart

Objectives:

1. Cardiac Muscle

   A. Describe the general morphologic features of cardiac muscle.

   B. Identify cardiac muscle in cross and longitudinal sections in tissues prepared for light microscopy.

   C. Discuss functional specializations of cardiac muscle in general and Purkinje fibers specifically.

2. Heart

   A. Discuss general organization of tissues comprising the wall of the heart.

   B. Describe components of the cardiac skeleton.

   C. Develop a conceptual knowledge of the mechanical aspects of cardiac contraction.

   D. Describe elements comprising the specialized impulse-conducting (Purkinje) system of the heart.

Terms:

myocardium

cardiac myocytes

intercalated discs

Purkinje fibers

endocardium

subendothelium (inner or outer)

epicardium

annulus fibrosum

A-V valve

papillary muscle

chordae tendineae

diad

moderator band (trabeculum septomarginalis)

t-tubule

sarcoplasmic reticulum

sarcomere