What it means
Oxygenated blood is bright red. It flows from the lungs through the pulmonary veins to the left side of the heart, then out through the aorta and the arteries to the tissues. Blood that has given up its oxygen is darker red and returns through the veins to the right side of the heart. The pulmonary vessels are the exception: the pulmonary arteryPUL-muh-nair-ee AR-ter-eeThe large blood vessel that carries blood low in oxygen from the right side of the heart to the lungs.Full entry carries blood low in oxygen to the lungs, and the pulmonary veins bring oxygenated blood back.
At a glance
| Spanish | sangre oxigenada |
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Related terms
hemoglobin
The iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, and the blood test that measures it.
oxygenation
The process of getting oxygen into the blood and delivering it to the body's tissues.
vein
A blood vessel that carries blood back toward the heart.
artery
A blood vessel that takes blood from the heart out to the body.
pulmonary artery
The large blood vessel that carries blood low in oxygen from the right side of the heart to the lungs.