The specific function of cardiac muscle is to contract involuntarily and rhythmically to pump blood throughout the body. This muscle tissue, found only in the heart (myocardium), generates the force necessary to propel blood into the pulmonary and systemic circulations, maintaining continuous blood flow to meet the metabolic needs of tissues

. Cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) are specialized for coordinated contraction, connected by intercalated discs that facilitate synchronized heartbeats. The contractions occur in a cycle of contraction (systole) and relaxation (diastole), allowing the heart chambers to fill with blood and then pump it out efficiently

. Electrical impulses generated by pacemaker cells regulate the timing and rhythm of cardiac muscle contractions, ensuring the heart beats in a controlled and automatic manner without conscious effort

. In summary, the cardiac muscle's specific function is to produce the rhythmic, involuntary contractions that enable the heart to act as a pump, circulating blood throughout the cardiovascular system to sustain life