The autonomic nervous system controls various aspects of cardiac function, such as the heart rate and contraction strength. However, cardiac function does not require intact innervation. Indeed, a patient with a cardiac transplant, whose heart is completely denervated, may still adapt well to stressful situations. The ability of a denervated, transplanted heart to adapt a changing conditions lies in certain intrinsic properties of cardiac tissue, especially its automaticity (the ability to initiate its own beat).