Heart - histology slide

This is a histology slide of the heart showing the SA node. H&E stain.

The SA node fibre vaguely resemble cardiac myocytes; however, they are thinner, squiggly and stain less intensely (on H&E) than cardiac myocytes.

Description of the micrograph - the follow things are seen:
· Cardiac myocytes of the·right atrium are seen at the right/bottom.
· Nodal artery, a branch of the right coronary artery is seen in the centre - on lumen.
· Sinoatrial node surrounds the nodal artery and abuts the darker staining cardiac myocytes.
· Lumen of the right atrium is on the left (endothelial lining not seen).
· Epicardial apidose tissue is to the right of the SA node.
· Epicardial space is on the right of the image.
· Superior vena cava is at the top of the image.
· Adjacent to nodal tissue is a nerve; the SA node interacts with fibres from the vagus nerve.

Histology image and description courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and user nephron.

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