Left Bundle Branch of Atrioventricular Bundle
Crus sinistrum fasciculi atrioventricularis
Read moreQuick Facts
Origin: AV Bundle.
Course: Inferiorly along the left ventricular surface of the interventricular septum.
Branches: Left subendocardial branches (or Purkinje fibers).
Supply: Action potential to initiate contraction of the left ventricular myocardium.
Origin
The left bundle (or branches) of the atrioventricular (AV) bundle originates in the interventricular septum, just inferior to the central fibrous body where the AV bundle splits into right and left branches.
Course
The left bundle of the AV bundle runs down the wall of the interventricular septum towards the apex of the heart. It is found just deep to the endocardium lining the left ventricular surface of the septum. Upon reaching the apex, fibers will continue up superiorly along the lateral walls of the left ventricle.
Branches
The left bundle of the AV bundle terminates as subendocardial branches or Purkinje fibers that are distributed throughout the left ventricle.
Supplied Structures & Function
The left bundle of the AV bundle propagates the action potential passed to it from the AV bundle, transmitting it to the Purkinje fibers lining the inner surface of the left ventricular myocardium (Katz, 2010, Anderson et al., 2009).
References
Anderson, R. H., Yanni, J., Boyett, M. R., Chandler, N. J. and Dobrzynski, H. (2009) 'The anatomy of the cardiac conduction system', Clin Anat, 22(1), pp. 99-113.
Katz, A. M. (2010) Physiology of the Heart. M - Medicine Series: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Health.
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Bundle of His
The atrioventricular (AV) bundle (of His) is a collection of specialized muscle fibers beginning at the AV node and dividing into right and left bundles at the junction of the membranous and muscular parts of the interventricular septum.
