What is the role of the pulmonary circuit?

The pulmonary circuit plays a crucial role in the respiratory process, specifically in oxygenating blood. It carries deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs, where it undergoes gas exchange. In the lungs, carbon dioxide is removed from the blood, and oxygen is absorbed. This process turns the deoxygenated blood into oxygenated blood.

Once the blood is oxygenated in the lungs, it returns to the left side of the heart through the pulmonary veins, where it can then be pumped out to the rest of the body to supply tissues with oxygen. Understanding the function of the pulmonary circuit is essential for grasping how the circulatory and respiratory systems work together to provide the necessary oxygen for cellular metabolism.