Final answer:
The spiral arrangement of ventricular muscle cells allows the heart to pump blood more effectively due to a complex swirling pattern that enhances the contraction and efficiency of the heart.
Step-by-step explanation:
The proposed functional advantage to the spiral arrangement of the working cells of the ventricles is that it enables the heart to pump blood more effectively. This sophisticated pattern of muscle orientation allows for a more efficient ejection of blood as the heart contracts. As the cardiac muscle cells are organized in a way that swirls and spirals around the heart chambers, they form a figure 8 pattern around both the atria and the ventricles, moving toward the apex of the heart. This complex swirling pattern is more effective than a straightforward linear arrangement. This organization is key in the process of depolarization and repolarization of the heart muscle, which are crucial for heartbeats and are important indicators of heart health as measured by an ECG.