Human Circulatory System

Arteries is correct. Arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to body tissues (except pulmonary arteries which carry deoxygenated blood to lungs). Veins bring blood back to the heart. Capillaries are tiny vessels for exchange. Ventricles are heart chambers.

Veins carry blood toward the heart. After body cells use oxygen, blood becomes deoxygenated (impure) and returns through veins to the right side of the heart, which then pumps it to the lungs via pulmonary arteries. The key distinction is that veins carry blood back to the heart regardless of oxygenation level.

The left side of the heart receives oxygenated blood from the lungs via the pulmonary veins and pumps it through the aorta to supply the entire body. This is why the left ventricle has the thickest muscular wall; it must generate enough pressure to push blood throughout the systemic circulation.

The three types of blood vessels in the circulatory system are arteries (carry blood away from heart), veins (carry blood toward heart), and capillaries (tiny vessels where gas/nutrient exchange occurs between blood and tissues). Arteries and veins are transport vessels; capillaries are exchange vessels.

Heart valves are one-way gates that prevent backflow of blood. The atrioventricular valves (tricuspid on right, mitral on left) prevent backflow from ventricles to atria. Semilunar valves (pulmonary and aortic) prevent backflow from arteries back into ventricles. This ensures blood flows only in the forward direction.

The right side of the heart receives deoxygenated blood from the body through the superior and inferior vena cava. This blood has delivered its oxygen to body tissues and picks up carbon dioxide as waste. The right ventricle then pumps this deoxygenated blood to the lungs via pulmonary arteries for reoxygenation.

Blood vessels form the complete circulatory pathway through which blood travels. Red blood cells, platelets, and plasma are components carried WITHIN the blood, but the vessels themselves (arteries, veins, capillaries) are the infrastructure that allows circulation to all body tissues.

Pulmonary veins are anatomical exceptions: unlike all other veins that carry deoxygenated blood toward the heart, the four pulmonary veins carry freshly oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the left atrium. This oxygenated blood is then pumped to the body. (Conversely, pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood, making them exceptions too.)

Pulmonary arteries are unique: they are the only arteries that carry deoxygenated blood. All other arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to body tissues. The pulmonary artery carries blood from the right ventricle to the lungs, where carbon dioxide is released and oxygen is absorbed before blood returns via pulmonary veins.

Clotting (or coagulation) is the process where blood changes from liquid to solid form to stop bleeding. This process involves platelets and clotting proteins that work together to form a clot at the site of injury. Supporting, collecting, and resisting are not terms used to describe blood solidification.

It supplies blood to the heart wall.

Phrenic artery supplies blood to diaphragm.

Circulation of blood between heart and lungs is called pulmonary circulation.

Mesenteric arteries supply blood to the small intestine, duodenal wall and pancreas.

Tissue fluid that enters into the lymph capillaries is called lymph.