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Medical Definition of Gating mechanism
1. Occurrence of the maximum refractory period among cardiac conducting cells approximately 2 mm proximal to the terminal Purkinje fibres in the ventricular muscle, beyond which the refractory period is shortened through a sequence of Purkinje cells, transitional cells, and muscular cells; gating mechanism may be a cause of ventricular aberration, bidirectional tachycardia, and concealed extrasystoles, a mechanism by which painful impulses may be blocked from entering the spinal cord. Compare: gate-control theory. (05 Mar 2000)