In: Biology
Although not considered the primary pacemaker of the heart, the atrioventricular node can indeed be considered as playing SOME role in setting the rhythm of the heart (kind of a secondary pacemaker). Explain how/why.
The atrioventricular node (AVN) is present at the atrio-ventricular aperture and it conducts the signal given to it by the primary pacemaker i.e., the sinoatrial node. The AVN further branches off to form the purkinjee fibres which innervate the heart cell and pass on the electrical stimulus passed to it by the SAN. This AVN can be considered as analogous to the brain and the spinal cord. The brain gives the signal and the spinal cord transmits it. Likewise the electrical stimulus is given by the SAN and it is relayed by the AVN to all parts of the heart. If the AVN is absent then the simultaneous beat of the heart would be impossible as it is the centre that coordinates the beating of the heart simultaneously due to properly conveying the electrical stimulus from the SAN node. Hence the AVN node maynot be the primary pacemaker but it does have a role in setting the rhythm of the heart and hence acts as a secondary pacemaker.
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