The human heart has its own electrical system which starts with a signal that is generated (usually) by the sinoatrial node (SA) which then travels through the right atrium and into the atrioventricular node (AV). The signal does this due to the fact that between the SA and AV nodes is the only place in the fibrous capsule that does not absorb the action potential, it will instead send the action potential downward towards the apex which will eventually build enough pressure to open the valves. Once it travels through the atrioventricular node it will travel along the Bundle of His, through the bundle branches which will then cause contraction of the heart. The aforementioned signal will cause a contraction that will first contract in the right and left atrium and then the right and left ventricles. …show more content…
Once the cardiac cell is depolarized, it is sent along the whole length of the sarcolemma as the wave of depolarization is spread to the adjacent areas of the sarcolemma. Depolarization is due to the influx of sodium flowing through the sodium channels. After sodium flows into the cell the sodium channels close and the potassium channels open thus releasing potassium out of the cell which makes the membrane potential return to