Contractions of the heart (heartbeats) are controlled by specialized cardiac muscle cells called pacemaker cells

that directly control heart rate. ... The wave of contraction that allows the heart to work as a unit, called a functional syncytium, begins with the pacemaker cells.

What is a functional syncytium quizlet?

Define functional syncytium. Cardiac muscle cells are electrically connected by gap junctions and thus the entire myocardium behaves as as single unit. The heart depends on impulses from the nervous system to initiate its contraction.

Why is heart called functional syncytium?

The syncytium of cardiac muscle is important because it allows rapid coordinated contraction of muscles along their entire length. ... Cardiac tissue is therefore described as a functional syncytium, as opposed to the true syncytium of skeletal muscle.