Quick Facts
The pulmonary veins convey oxygenated blood toward the heart.
Related parts of the anatomy
Structure/Morphology
The pulmonary veins are responsible for returning oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the left atrium of the heart. The extensive network of capillaries surrounding the alveoli are drained by the pulmonary venules, which in turn drain into the pulmonary veins (Ovalle et al., 2013).
The pulmonary veins also drain the ramifications of the bronchial arteries, arteries belonging to the systemic circulatory system that supply the lung tissue itself with oxygenated blood.
Function
The pulmonary veins are responsible for returning oxygenated blood back to the systemic circulation.
References
Ovalle, W. K., Nahirney, P. C. and Netter, F. H. (2013) Netter's Essential Histology. ClinicalKey 2012: Elsevier Saunders.
