Major Veins of the Body
What Veins do?
Veins carry blood toward the heart. Nearly all veins carry oxygende pleted blood, with the sole exception of the pulmonary vein, which carries oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium. Veins serve as a large reservoir for circulating blood.
Feeling flexible
Veins have thinner, more pliable walls than arteries. That pliability allows veins to accommodate variations in blood volume. Veins contain valves at periodic intervals to prevent blood from flowing backward.
A close look at the veins
This illustration shows the major veins of the body.
