Cardiac Muscle: Cardiac Muscle (Heart Muscle) Is One of The Three Major Types of Muscle

Cardiac Muscle
Cardiac muscle (heart muscle) is one of the three major types of muscle,
the others being skeletal and smooth muscle. It is an involuntary, striated
muscle that is found in the walls of the heart. This muscle tissue is known
as myocardium, and forms a thick middle layer between the outer layer
of the heart wall (the epicardium) and the inner layer (the endocardium).
Myocardium is composed of individual heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes)
joined together by intercalated disks, encased by collagen fibres and other
substances forming the extracellular matrix.
STRUCTURE
Gross anatomy
Cardiac muscle
Cardiac muscle tissue or myocardium forms the bulk of the heart. The
heart wall is a three layered structure with a thick layer of myocardium
sandwiched between the inner endocardium and the outer epicardium (also
known as the visceral pericardium). The inner endocardium lines the
cardiac chambers, covers the cardiac valves, and joins with
the endothelium that lines the blood vessels that connect to the heart. On
the outer aspect of the myocardium is the epicardium which forms part of
the pericardium, the sack that surrounds, protects, and lubricates the
heart.
Cardiac muscle cells or cardiomyocytes are the contracting cells which

allow the heart to pump. Each cardiomyocyte needs to contract in
coordination with its neighbouring cells to efficiently pump blood from the
heart, and if this coordination breaks down then – despite individual cells
contracting – the heart may not pump at all, such as may occur during
abnormal heart rhythms such as ventricular fibrillation.
T-tubules are microscopic tubes that run from the cell surface to deep
within the cell. They are continuous with the cell membrane, are composed
of the same phospholipid bilayer, and are open at the cell surface to the
fluid that surrounds the cell (the extracellular fluid). T-tubules in cardiac
muscle are bigger and wider than those in skeletal muscle, but fewer in
number.
The cardiac syncytium is a network of cardiomyocytes connected to each

other by intercalated discs that enable the rapid transmission of
electrical impulses through the network, enabling the syncytium to act in a
coordinated contraction of the myocardium. There is an atrial
syncytium and a ventricular syncytium that are connected by cardiac
connection fibres.[7] Electrical resistance through intercalated discs is very
low, thus allowing free diffusion of ions. The ease of ion movement along
cardiac muscle fibers axes is such that action potentials are able to travel
from one cardiac muscle cell to the next, facing only slight resistance. Each
syncytium obeys the all or none law.
Cardiac fibroblasts are vital supporting cells within cardiac muscle. They
are unable to provide forceful contractions like cardiomyocytes, but instead
are largely responsible for creating and maintaining the extracellular matrix
which forms the mortar in which cardiomyocyte bricks are
embedded.[3] Fibroblasts play a crucial role in responding to injury, such as
a myocardial infarction.
Continuing the analogy of heart muscle as being like a wall, the

extracellular matrix is the mortar which surrounds the cardiomyocyte
and fibroblasts bricks. The matrix is composed of proteins such
as collagen and elastin along with polysaccharides(sugar chains) known
as glycosaminoglycans.[3] Together, these substances give support and
strength to the muscle cells, create elasticity in cardiac muscle, and keep
the muscle cells hydrated by binding water molecules.
Regeneration
Until recently, it was commonly believed that cardiac muscle cells could not
be regenerated. However, a study reported in the April 3, 2009 issue
of Science contradicts that belief.[16] Olaf Bergmann and his colleagues at
the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm tested samples of heart muscle from
people born before 1955 who had very little cardiac muscle around their
heart, many showing with disabilities from this abnormality. By using DNA
samples from many hearts, the researchers estimated that a 4-year-old
renews about 20% of heart muscle cells per year, and about 69 percent of
the heart muscle cells of a 50-year-old were generated after he or she was
born.

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Cardiac Muscle

Cardiac muscle cells or cardiomyocytes are the contracting cells which

The cardiac syncytium is a network of cardiomyocytes connected to each

Continuing the analogy of heart muscle as being like a wall, the

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