Video: What Vessels Carry Oxygenated Blood?

This Season: Tailgating; New Year, New You; Tax Time

The blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood through the body are the arteries, which pump blood away from the heart. Identify oxygenated blood by its red color with help from a nurse and respiratory therapist in this free video on blood vessels.

Video Transcript

We're going to talk briefly about what vessels carry oxygenated blood. One, the arteries are thick-walled vessels that carry blood away from the heart. They have already been, the blood's already been through the lungs. It's red in color. Now, what makes that red in color is that the oxygen has a great affinity for the hemoglobin, which makes it red. So, you have oxyhemoglobin and that is what's in the arteries and that's why the arteries look so red in color. The pressure from the heart widens the vessels and also causes that the arterials can also have that pressure to the capillaries. So, what has happened is that the blood has oxygenated in the arteries. It then goes through to the vessels, through the arterials, down to the capillaries where the oxygen and the carbon dioxide is exchanged and then it comes back up to the right side of the heart. Now, there's one other thing that carries oxygenated blood and it's kind of confusing if you're not real familiar with it, but there's one vein in the body that carries oxygenated blood. That's the pulmonary vein and that's the only one. But arteries is known for being thick-walled vessels that carry the oxygenated blood away from the heart.

Follow eHow: Follow @eHow

What Vessels Carry Oxygenated Blood?

Related Ads

Related Articles & Videos