What type of blood vessel carries oxygenated blood away from the heart?

Arteries are responsible for carrying oxygenated blood away from the heart to various tissues and organs throughout the body. This process is crucial for delivering the necessary oxygen and nutrients required for cellular metabolism. In the systemic circulation, the left ventricle of the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood into the aorta, the largest artery, which then branches out into smaller arteries that reach all parts of the body.

Veins, in contrast, carry deoxygenated blood back to the heart, while capillaries are the micro-vessels that facilitate the exchange of gases, nutrients, and waste products between the blood and tissues. Venules, the smallest veins, collect blood from capillaries and transport it toward larger veins and ultimately back to the heart. Thus, arteries uniquely function to transport oxygenated blood away from the heart, making them essential components of the circulatory system.