What are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues

What are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues

Blood flowing through the circulatory system transports nutrients, oxygen, and water to cells throughout the body. The journey might begin and end with the heart, but the blood vessels reach every vital spot along the way. These arteries, veins, and capillaries make for a vast network of pipes. If you were to lay out all the blood vessels of the body in a line, they would stretch for nearly 60,000 miles. That’s enough to circle the earth almost three times!

1. The Three Major Types of Blood Vessels: Arteries, Veins, and Capillaries

What are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues

Blood vessels flow blood throughout the body. Arteries transport blood away from the heart. Veins return blood back toward the heart. Capillaries surround body cells and tissues to deliver and absorb oxygen, nutrients, and other substances. The capillaries also connect the branches of arteries and to the branches of veins. The walls of most blood vessels have three distinct layers: the tunica externa, the tunica media, and the tunica intima. These layers surround the lumen, the hollow interior through which blood flows.

2. Oxygenated Blood Flows Away from the Heart Through Arteries

What are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues

The left ventricle of the heart pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta. From there, blood passes through major arteries, which branch into muscular arteries and then microscopic arterioles. The arterioles branch into the capillary networks that supply tissues with oxygen and nutrients. The walls of arteries are thicker than the walls of veins, with more smooth muscle and elastic tissue. This structure allows arteries to dilate as blood pumps through them.

3. Veins Carry Blood Back Toward the Heart

What are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues

After the capillaries release oxygen and other substances from blood into body tissues, they feed the blood back toward the veins. First the blood enters microscopic vein branches called venules. The venules conduct the blood into the veins, which transport it back to the heart through the venae cavae. Vein walls are thinner and less elastic than artery walls. The pressure pushing blood through them is not as great. In fact, there are valves within the lumen of veins to prevent the backflow of blood.

4. Exchange of Gases, Nutrients, and Waste Between Blood and Tissue Occurs in the Capillaries

What are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues

Capillaries are tiny vessels that branch out from arterioles to form networks around body cells. In the lungs, capillaries absorb oxygen from inhaled air into the bloodstream and release carbon dioxide for exhalation. Elsewhere in the body, oxygen and other nutrients diffuse from blood in the capillaries to the tissues they supply. The capillaries absorb carbon dioxide and other waste products from the tissues and then flow the deoxygenated blood into the veins.

5. The Constant Pumping of the Heart Maintains Blood Pressure and Supply Throughout the Body

What are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the tissues

The blood moving through the circulatory system puts pressure on the walls of the blood vessels. Blood pressure results from the blood flow force generated by the pumping heart and the resistance of the blood vessel walls. When the heart contracts, it pumps blood out through the arteries. The blood pushes against the vessel walls and flows faster under this high pressure. When the ventricles relax, the vessel walls push back against the decreased force. Blood flow slows down under this low pressure.

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Arteries are blood vessels responsible for carrying oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the body. Veins are blood vessels that carry blood low in oxygen from the body back to the heart for reoxygenation.

Arteries and veins are two of the body’s main type of blood vessels. These vessels are channels that distribute blood to the body. They’re part of two closed systems of tubes that begin and end at the heart. These systems of tubes are either:

  • Pulmonary. The pulmonary vessels are arteries that transport oxygen-poor blood from the heart’s right ventricle to the lungs. Pulmonary veins transport oxygen-rich blood back to the heart’s left atrium.
  • Systemic. The systemic vessels are arteries that carry oxygen-rich blood from the heart’s left ventricle to the tissues in all parts of the body. They then return oxygen-poor blood through the veins back to the heart’s right atrium.

There are three types of arteries. Each type is composed of three coats: outer, middle, and inner.

  • Elastic arteries are also called conducting arteries or conduit arteries. They have a thick middle layer so they can stretch in response to each pulse of the heart.
  • Muscular (distributing) arteries are medium-sized. They draw blood from elastic arteries and branch into resistance vessels. These vessels include small arteries and arterioles.
  • Arterioles are the smallest division of arteries that transport blood away from the heart. They direct blood into the capillary networks.

There are four types of veins:

  • Deep veins are located within muscle tissue. They have a corresponding artery nearby.
  • Superficial veins are closer to the skin’s surface. They don’t have corresponding arteries.
  • Pulmonary veins transport blood that’s been filled with oxygen by the lungs to the heart. Each lung has two sets of pulmonary veins, a right and left one.
  • Systemic veins are located throughout the body from the legs up to the neck, including the arms and trunk. They transport deoxygenated blood back to the heart.

Use this interactive 3-D diagram to explore an artery.

Use this interactive 3-D diagram to explore a vein.

The walls of veins and arteries are both made up of three layers:

  • Outer. Tunica adventitia (tunica externa) is the outer layer of a blood vessel, including arteries and veins. It’s mostly composed of collagen and elastic fibers. These fibers enable the veins and arteries to stretch a limited amount. They stretch enough to be flexible while maintaining stability under the pressure of blood flow.
  • Middle. The middle layer of the walls of arteries and veins is called the tunica media. It’s made of smooth muscle and elastic fibers. This layer is thicker in arteries and thinner in veins.
  • Inner. The inner layer of the blood vessel wall is called tunica intima. This layer is made of elastic fiber and collagen. Its consistency varies based on the type of blood vessel.

Unlike arteries, veins contain valves. Veins need valves to keep the blood flowing toward the heart. Theses valves are particularly important in the legs and arms. They fight gravity to prevent the backflow of blood.

Arteries don’t need valves because the pressure from the heart keeps the blood flowing through them in one direction.

The cardiovascular system is a closed system of vessels called arteries, veins, and capillaries. They’re all connected to a muscular pump called the heart. The cardiovascular system keeps a continuous and controlled movement of blood that delivers nutrients and oxygen to every cell in the body. It does this through thousands of miles of capillaries between the arteries and the veins.

  • Arteries. The pulmonary arteries carry low-oxygen blood from the right ventricle of the heart to the lungs. Systemic arteries transport oxygenated blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the rest of the body.
  • Veins. The pulmonary veins carry oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart. Systemic veins carry low-oxygen blood from the body to the right atrium of the heart.
  • Capillaries. Capillaries are the smallest and most numerous of the blood vessels. They connect between the arteries (which carry blood away from the heart) and the veins (which return blood to the heart). The primary function of capillaries is the exchanging of materials, like oxygen, between the blood and tissue cells.
  • Heart. The heart has four chambers: the right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, and left ventricle. The heart provides the force to circulate blood through the cardiovascular system.

Nutrients and oxygen are delivered to every cell in your body through a circulatory system. The heart pumps oxygenated blood to your cells through arteries. It pumps oxygen-depleted blood away from your cells through veins.

Which blood vessel carries oxygenated blood to the heart tissues?

Pulmonary veins move the blood oxygen-rich blood to the left side of your heart. The aorta (the main artery in your body) carries the blood from the left side of your heart to the rest of your body through many branches of arteries.

What vessels carry the oxygenated blood away from the heart?

Arteries carry blood away from the heart and veins carry blood back to the heart. The circulatory system carries oxygen, nutrients, and hormones to cells, and removes waste products, like carbon dioxide.

Which blood vessels which carry oxygenated blood?

Arteries carry oxygenated blood from the heart, while veins carry oxygen-depleted blood back to the heart.