Multiple Choice
Which structure is the primary pacemaker of the heart under normal resting conditions?
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18. The Heart
Electrical Conduction System of the Heart
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Autorhythmicity in the heart (the ability to spontaneously generate electrical impulses) is primarily the responsibility of which structure?
A
Bundle branches
B
Sinoatrial (SA) node
C
Purkinje fibers
D
Atrioventricular (AV) node
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that autorhythmicity refers to the heart's ability to generate its own electrical impulses without external nervous input.
Recall the main components of the heart's conduction system: the Sinoatrial (SA) node, Atrioventricular (AV) node, Bundle branches, and Purkinje fibers.
Recognize that the SA node is known as the natural pacemaker of the heart because it initiates the electrical impulses that set the rhythm for the entire heart.
Note that the AV node, bundle branches, and Purkinje fibers conduct and distribute the impulses but do not primarily generate them spontaneously.
Conclude that the structure primarily responsible for autorhythmicity is the Sinoatrial (SA) node.
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