A pacemaker action potential is the kind of
action potential
An action potential occurs when the membrane potential of a specific cell location rapidly rises and falls. This depolarization then causes adjacent locations to similarly depolarize. Action potentials occur in several types of animal cells, ...
that provides a reference rhythm for the network. This contrasts with
pacemaker potential or current which drives rhythmic modulation of firing rate.
Some pacemaker action generate rhythms for the heart beat (
sino-atrial node) or the
circadian rhythm
A circadian rhythm (), or circadian cycle, is a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep–wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours. It can refer to any process that originates within an organism (i.e., endogenous) and responds to ...
in the
suprachiasmatic nucleus
The suprachiasmatic nucleus or nuclei (SCN) is a tiny region of the brain in the hypothalamus, situated directly above the optic chiasm. It is responsible for controlling circadian rhythms. The neuronal and hormonal activities it generates regul ...
.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pacemaker Action Potential
Cardiac electrophysiology
Action potentials