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This is because the heart needs enough time to pump blood out to the main arteries.

The action potential of the heart (ventricles) is elongated by the opening of the voltage gated Calcium channels causing an influx of positively charged Calcium ions to the inside of the muscle cells and therefor maintaining the depolarized (excited) state of the cell membrane for a longer period of time. This is phase 2 of the action potential which is also called the Plateu Phase.

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Q: Why is the action potential of the cardiac muscle cells long?
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What do heart muscle cells look like?

The cells of heart muscle are striated (like stripes on a tie) as is skeletal muscle. Cardiac muscle is a type of involuntary striated muscle found only in the walls of the heart. They can contract but also carry an action potential (i.e. conduct electricity), like the neurons that constitute nerves. Some of the cells have the ability to generate an action potential, known as cardiac muscle automaticity. That is they beat on their own and in union with each other.


What is the significance of the plateau phase seen in the action potential of cardiac muscle cells?

calcium channels remaning open.


What is the heart muscle cells special feature?

The muscle has unique features that are only in the heart.These muscles are involuntary striated muscle which are only found in the wall of the heart. This is specialised muscle that can contract, Cardiac muscle, like other muscles, can contract, but it can also carry an action potential (i.e. conduct electricity), like the neurons that constitute nerves.Furthermore, some of the cells have the ability to generate an action potential, known as cardiac muscle automaticity.Read more: Why_is_the_cardiac_muscle_unusual


The plateau portion of the action potential in contractile cardiac muscle cells is due to?

Slow inward diffusion of Ca2+


Why couldn't your heart have cardiac tissue?

Cardiac muscle, like other muscles, can contract, but it can also carry an action potential (i.e. conduct electricity), like the neurons that constitute nerves. Furthermore, some of the cells have the ability to generate an action potential, known as cardiac muscle automaticity. (Some cells can make the heart beat on its own.) This doesn't occur in any other type of muscle tissue. This ability can keep the heart pumping even under disease conditions.


Where is the only place you can find cardiac muscles?

Cardiac muscle is a type of involuntary striated muscle found only in the walls of the heart. This is a specialized muscle that, while similar in some fundamental ways to smooth muscle and skeletal muscle, has a unique structure and with an ability not possessed by muscle tissue elsewhere in the body. Cardiac muscle, like other muscles, can contract, but it can also carry an action potential (i.e. conduct electricity), like the neurons that constitute nerves.Furthermore, some of the cells have the ability to generate an action potential, known as cardiac muscle automaticity (meaning the can and do beat on their own).


Why couldn't your heart have only only cardiac tissue?

Cardiac muscle, like other muscles, can contract, but it can also carry an action potential (i.e. conduct electricity), like the neurons that constitute nerves. Furthermore, some of the cells have the ability to generate an action potential, known as cardiac muscle automaticity. (Some cells can make the heart beat on its own.) This doesn't occur in any other type of muscle tissue. This ability can keep the heart pumping even under disease conditions.


Why couldn't your heart only have cardiac tissue?

Cardiac muscle, like other muscles, can contract, but it can also carry an action potential (i.e. conduct electricity), like the neurons that constitute nerves. Furthermore, some of the cells have the ability to generate an action potential, known as cardiac muscle automaticity. (Some cells can make the heart beat on its own.) This doesn't occur in any other type of muscle tissue. This ability can keep the heart pumping even under disease conditions.


What cells make up the myocardium?

Most of the myocardium is composed of cardiac myocytes.


What are the properties of cardiac cells?

Cardiac muscle is a striated, involuntary muscle. Cardiac muscle cells usually contain 1 or 2 nuclei.


Which muscle cells commonly branch?

The muscle cells which commonly branch are the cardiac muscle cells. The other muscles do not have any branched cells.


Do smooth muscles have branched cells?

No, cardiac muscle cells are branched but skeletal muscle cells are linear and do not branch