Cardiomyocyte Contraction

• The Cardiovascular System is made up of: heart blood vessels
• Cardiac Muscle is made of three layers in the heart wall: endothelium and endocardium - inner layer which lines the entire circulatory system, Myocardium (heart muscle) and Epicardium, outer layer
• Bundles of cardiac muscle are arranged spirally around the ventricle, when they contract, they "wring" blood from the apex to the base where the major arteries exit
• Cardiac muscle fibres branch and are interconnected by interconnected intercalated discs
• Calcium binds to troponin to stimulate contraction