aorta
largest artery in the body; receives oxygenated blood, at pressure, directly from the left ventricle and transports it to the body
superior vena cava
large vein that collects deoxygenated blood from the head and arms and returns it to the right atrium of the heart
inferior vena cava
large vein that collects deoxygenated blood from the abdomen and lower body and returns it to the right atrium of the heart
pulmonary artery
receives deoxygenated blood, at pressure, from the right ventricle and takes it to the lungs
pulmonary vein
carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart
coronary arteries
branch off the aorta and take oxygenated blood to the heart muscle
coronary vein
return deoxygenated blood from the heart muscle to the right atrium
carotid arteries
take oxygenated blood to head
jugular veins
take deoxygenated blood from the head back to the anterior vena cava
subclavian arteries
lie beneath the clavicles; take oxygenated blood to the arms
subclavian veins
lie beneath the clavicles; take deoxygenated blood from the arms back to the anterior vena cava
mesenteric arteries
take oxygenated blood to the intestines
hepatic portal vein
carries blood rich in nutrients from the intestines to the liver for processing before returning to the heart
hepatic vein
returns deoxygenated blood from the liver to the posterior vena cava
renal arteries
take oxygenated blood to kidneys
renal veins
return deoxygenated blood from the kidneys to the posterior vena cava
iliac arteries
take oxygenated blood to the legs
iliac veins
return deoxygenated blood from the legs to the posterior vena cava