Systole refers to the phase of the cardiac cycle where the heart muscles contract, pumping blood out of the heart. This contraction is vital for maintaining blood circulation throughout the body, as it propels oxygenated blood from the left ventricle into the aorta and deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle into the pulmonary arteries. Understanding systole is crucial for grasping how the mammalian heart functions and supports the flow of blood through various vessels.
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