To which of the following organ do the pulmonary arteries supply blood?
Lungs
Understanding Pulmonary Arteries and Blood Supply
The human circulatory system includes a special pathway called the pulmonary circulation. This circuit carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs and returns oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart. The blood vessels involved in this pathway are the pulmonary arteries and the pulmonary veins.
Function of Pulmonary Arteries
Pulmonary arteries are unique among arteries in the body because they carry deoxygenated blood. Most other arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart to the rest of the body. The pulmonary arteries originate from the right ventricle of the heart and branch out to deliver blood to the lungs.
Specifically, the main pulmonary artery leaves the right ventricle and quickly divides into the left and right pulmonary arteries, which go to the left and right lungs, respectively. Inside the lungs, these arteries further divide into smaller arterioles and capillaries surrounding the tiny air sacs called alveoli.
Why Pulmonary Arteries Supply Blood to the Lungs
The primary function of the lungs is gas exchange – taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. The blood supplied by the pulmonary arteries to the capillaries around the alveoli is deoxygenated and rich in carbon dioxide. At the alveoli, carbon dioxide diffuses from the blood into the air sacs to be exhaled, while oxygen from the inhaled air diffuses from the alveoli into the blood. This process oxygenates the blood.
Therefore, the pulmonary arteries are essential for bringing blood to the lungs for oxygenation.
Analyzing the Options
- Brain: The brain receives oxygenated blood primarily from the carotid arteries and vertebral arteries, not the pulmonary arteries.
- Lungs: As explained above, the pulmonary arteries specifically supply deoxygenated blood to the lungs for gas exchange. This is their main function in the pulmonary circulation.
- Liver: The liver receives blood from two main sources: the hepatic artery (supplying oxygenated blood) and the hepatic portal vein (carrying nutrient-rich, deoxygenated blood from the digestive organs). It is not supplied by pulmonary arteries.
- Kidney: The kidneys receive a large supply of oxygenated blood directly from the aorta via the renal arteries. Pulmonary arteries do not supply blood to the kidneys.
Based on the function of the pulmonary circulation, the pulmonary arteries supply blood to the lungs.
Revision Table: Blood Supply Pathways
| Organ | Primary Arterial Supply | Type of Blood Carried by Artery |
|---|---|---|
| Brain | Carotid Arteries, Vertebral Arteries | Oxygenated |
| Lungs | Pulmonary Arteries | Deoxygenated (for oxygenation) |
| Liver | Hepatic Artery | Oxygenated |
| Kidney | Renal Arteries | Oxygenated |
Additional Information: The Pulmonary Circuit
The pulmonary circuit is one of the two main divisions of the circulatory system (the other being the systemic circuit). It starts when the right ventricle pumps deoxygenated blood into the pulmonary artery. This blood travels to the lungs for oxygenation. After picking up oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide in the lungs, the now oxygenated blood returns to the left atrium of the heart via the pulmonary veins. From the left atrium, the oxygenated blood moves to the left ventricle and is then pumped into the systemic circulation to supply the rest of the body.
Important Questions from Human body
A resting person, usually has a pulse rate between ______ and ______ beats per minute
In humans, neck and head are joined by which joint ?
The human skeleton is composed of around ______ bones at birth.
Identify the disease that is not caused by virus.
Which one of the changes observed during adolescence is not associated with boys?
