Page 85 - The Miracle of Electricity in the Body
P. 85

Adnan Oktar (Harun Yahya)                           83





                 The Pacemaker That Regulates the Speed of the

                 Heartbeat
                 Production of electricity by the heart cells is not enough by itself.
            These cells must first combine in the right sequence, but it is still not
            enough for them merely to join together. These cells must produce elec-
            tricity together, in a particular rhythm. Each cell must time itself to act
            every 0.83 of a second, without fail.
                 Moreover, cells must carry on their activity for an entire lifetime,





             Below, appearance of heart cells
             Right, coronary tissue










                                       Heart muscle
                                       fibers
                                                         Heart cell
                                                Ion
                                                                      Receptors
                                              channels
                              Nuclei



                                                  Signal            Signal
                                                transmission     transmission
                                                                  Gap between
            Every heart cell produces energy                      cells
            that starts the heartbeat in motion.
            Each coronary cell acts literally
            like a living battery, producing                           Cell membrane
            electricity by means of two ele-
            ments found in the blood in large quantities: sodium and potassium. The atoms con-
            stituting these elements often lose a negatively charged electron, and thus gain a
            positive charge. These charged atoms are known as ions.
            Heart cells contain a high level of potassium, and the fluid outside the cells is rich in
            sodium. The cell membrane constantly pumps sodium outside the heart muscles and
            potassium inside. Since the membrane pumps sodium out faster than potassium is
            taken in, a positive charge forms outside the cell. When the charge reaches a partic-
            ular level, the flow is suddenly reversed and sodium ions re-enter the cell. This sud-
            den change triggers an electrical charge, and the heart cell contracts and withdraws.
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