TY - JOUR
T1 - Inferior Extensions of the Atrioventricular Node
AU - Anderson, Robert H.
AU - Hikspoors, Jill P. J. M.
AU - Tretter, Justin T.
AU - Macías, Yolanda
AU - Spicer, Diane E.
AU - Lamers, Wouter H.
AU - Sánchez-Quintana, Damián
AU - Sternick, Eduardo Back
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - The pathways for excitation of the atrioventricular node enter either superiorly, as the so-called ‘fast’ pathway, or inferiorly as the ‘slow’ pathway. However, knowledge of the specific anatomical details of these pathways is limited. Most of the experimental studies that established the existence of these pathways were conducted in mammalian hearts, which have subtle differences to human hearts. In this review, the authors summarise their recent experiences investigating human cardiac development, correlating these results with the arrangement of the connections between the atrial myocardium and the compact atrioventricular node as revealed by serial sectioning of adult human hearts. They discuss the contributions made from the atrioventricular canal myocardium, as opposed to the primary ring. Both these rings are incorporated into the atrial vestibules, albeit with the primary ring contributing only to the tricuspid vestibule. The atrial septal cardiomyocytes are relatively late contributors to the nodal inputs. Finally, they relate our findings of human cardiac development to the postnatal arrangement.
AB - The pathways for excitation of the atrioventricular node enter either superiorly, as the so-called ‘fast’ pathway, or inferiorly as the ‘slow’ pathway. However, knowledge of the specific anatomical details of these pathways is limited. Most of the experimental studies that established the existence of these pathways were conducted in mammalian hearts, which have subtle differences to human hearts. In this review, the authors summarise their recent experiences investigating human cardiac development, correlating these results with the arrangement of the connections between the atrial myocardium and the compact atrioventricular node as revealed by serial sectioning of adult human hearts. They discuss the contributions made from the atrioventricular canal myocardium, as opposed to the primary ring. Both these rings are incorporated into the atrial vestibules, albeit with the primary ring contributing only to the tricuspid vestibule. The atrial septal cardiomyocytes are relatively late contributors to the nodal inputs. Finally, they relate our findings of human cardiac development to the postnatal arrangement.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85122990442&origin=inward
UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35106179
U2 - https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2021.43
DO - https://doi.org/10.15420/aer.2021.43
M3 - Article
C2 - 35106179
SN - 2050-3369
VL - 10
SP - 262
EP - 272
JO - Arrhythmia & electrophysiology review
JF - Arrhythmia & electrophysiology review
IS - 4
ER -