Myocardial disarray
Encyclopedia
Myocardial disarray, also known as myocyte disarray, is a term to describe the loss of the normal parallel alignment of myocyte
s (the muscle
cells
of the heart
). Instead, the myocytes usually form circles around foci of connective tissue
. Myocardial disarray is associated with myocardial fibrosis (the replacement of the myocytes with non-contractile scar tissue
).
Myocardial disarray can be seen in a number of disease states, including:
The common factor amongst all these diseases is that they all cause varying degrees of remodelling (myocardial fibrosis) of the ventricles
.
Myocyte
A myocyte is the type of cell found in muscles. They arise from myoblasts.Each myocyte contains myofibrils, which are long, long chains of sarcomeres, the contractile units of the cell....
s (the muscle
Muscle
Muscle is a contractile tissue of animals and is derived from the mesodermal layer of embryonic germ cells. Muscle cells contain contractile filaments that move past each other and change the size of the cell. They are classified as skeletal, cardiac, or smooth muscles. Their function is to...
cells
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos....
of the heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
). Instead, the myocytes usually form circles around foci of connective tissue
Connective tissue
"Connective tissue" is a fibrous tissue. It is one of the four traditional classes of tissues . Connective Tissue is found throughout the body.In fact the whole framework of the skeleton and the different specialized connective tissues from the crown of the head to the toes determine the form of...
. Myocardial disarray is associated with myocardial fibrosis (the replacement of the myocytes with non-contractile scar tissue
Myocardial scarring
Myocardial scarring is fibrous tissue that replaces normal tissue destroyed by injury or disease pertaining to the muscular tissue of the heart....
).
Myocardial disarray can be seen in a number of disease states, including:
- Aortic stenosis
- Congenital heart disease
- Hypertensive heart diseaseHypertensionHypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathyHypertrophic cardiomyopathyHypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease of the myocardium in which a portion of the myocardium is hypertrophied without any obvious cause...
The common factor amongst all these diseases is that they all cause varying degrees of remodelling (myocardial fibrosis) of the ventricles
Left ventricle
The left ventricle is one of four chambers in the human heart. It receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium via the mitral valve, and pumps it into the aorta via the aortic valve.-Shape:...
.