What is the function of heart muscle?

The primary function of heart muscle is to pump oxygenated blood throughout the body and to return deoxygenated blood back to the lungs for oxygenation.

The heart muscle, also known as the myocardium, is a specialized type of muscle tissue found in the walls of the heart. It is responsible for the contraction and relaxation of the heart chambers, which propels blood through the body's circulatory system. The heart muscle is composed of cardiac myocytes, which are highly organized and interconnected cells that work in a coordinated fashion to generate rhythmic contractions.

The contraction of the heart muscle is triggered by electrical signals generated by specialized pacemaker cells in the heart. These electrical impulses spread throughout the heart, causing the cardiac myocytes to contract and relax in a synchronized manner. The contraction phase of the heart muscle, known as systole, generates pressure that propels blood from the heart's chambers into the arteries. The relaxation phase, called diastole, allows the heart chambers to fill with blood again.

The continuous pumping action of the heart muscle ensures a constant flow of oxygenated blood to all tissues and organs in the body. Without the proper function of the heart muscle, the body's vital organs would not receive the necessary oxygen and nutrients, leading to severe damage and ultimately organ failure.