Objectives - Cardiac Muscle:

To know the salient characteristics of cardiac muscle.
To understand the phases of myocardial cell electrical changes, the underlying mechanisms, how pacemaker, reserve pacemaker and follower cell functional characteristics are altered, and how their electrical characteristics contribute to overall heart function.
To understand the mechanisms of cardiac muscle contraction, the differences between isometric and isotonic contractions, and factors that alter tension development and shortening velocity.