Where do arteries carry blood?

Arteries are blood vessels that are responsible for carrying blood away from the heart to various parts of the body. This fundamental function is crucial for supplying oxygenated blood to the tissues and organs, which is necessary for their proper functioning.

The main artery, the aorta, branches out into smaller arteries that deliver oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. This systemic circulation is vital for maintaining metabolic processes and overall health.

In contrast, veins are the vessels that carry blood back toward the heart, returning deoxygenated blood from the body. The pulmonary arteries are an exception in that they carry deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs for oxygenation, but this is a specific circumstance within the broader systemic and pulmonary circulation.