Heart: More Than a Pump
The heart, an emblem of life, is not just a pump. It's a complex organ with its own 'little brain' called the intrinsic cardiac nervous system, guiding heartbeats beyond mere muscle contractions.
Heart Regeneration Potential
Unlike most human organs, the heart has negligible regenerative capabilities. However, research shows that the heart contains a small number of cardiac stem cells that could provide new hope for healing.
Electrical Heart Map
An electrocardiogram (ECG) maps the heart's electrical activity. It's fascinating that heartbeats are initiated by a natural pacemaker, the sinoatrial node, setting the rhythm for life.
Heart's Hidden Rhythms
Your heart rate varies with each breath—a phenomenon called respiratory sinus arrhythmia. This subtle fluctuation enhances cardiac efficiency and reflects autonomic nervous system health.
Extreme Temperature, Heart's Foe
Extreme cold can cause blood vessels to constrict, leading to increased blood pressure and strain on the heart. Likewise, extreme heat can lead to dehydration and added heart stress.
The Heart's Self-Defense
The heart protects itself during a heart attack by releasing a protein called 'HSP72'. This heat shock protein helps in preventing damage to the heart muscle cells.
Heart Size and Lifespan
Intriguingly, there’s a correlation between heart size and lifespan across species. Larger animals with slower heartbeats, like elephants, tend to live longer than smaller ones with faster heart rates, such as mice.
What guides heartbeats beyond muscle contractions?
Intrinsic cardiac nervous system
Cardiac muscle elasticity
Extrinsic cardiac system
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