What is the main role of the AV node in the heart?

The main role of the atrioventricular (AV) node is to conduct electrical impulses from the atria to the ventricles. This structure is crucial in the heart's conduction system. When the atria contract and send electrical signals, the AV node serves as a gatekeeper, briefly delaying this electrical impulse. This delay allows the atria to finish contract and pump blood into the ventricles before they contract. By ensuring proper timing between the contractions of the atria and ventricles, the AV node plays a vital role in maintaining coordinated and efficient heart function.

Generating electrical impulses is primarily the function of the sinoatrial (SA) node, which is known as the heart's natural pacemaker. While the AV node does assist in the conduction of these impulses, its primary role is not to generate them.

Regulating heart muscle contraction involves a broader interplay of the heart's electrical conduction system and muscle response, not solely the function of the AV node.

Controlling blood flow to the lungs is the responsibility of the pulmonary circuit and related structures such as the right ventricle and the pulmonary arteries, rather than the AV node. The AV node's specific and critical role in synchronizing the electrical activity between the atria and ventricles is what