The pacemaker of the human heart is the
- A. atrioventricular node
- B. bundle of His
- C. sinoatrial node in the wall of the right atrium
- D. network of Purkinje fibres
Explanation
The sinoatrial node depolarises spontaneously about seventy times a minute and sets the rhythm, which is why the heartbeat is myogenic and a heart continues beating when removed from the body. The atrioventricular node can also fire on its own but at a slower rate, so it takes over only if the sinoatrial node fails. The bundle of His and the Purkinje fibres conduct the impulse rather than generate it.