Dorsal metatarsal arteries Arteries are blood vessels that
convey blood away from the heart. Arteries can be divided into
systematic arteries, which carry blood from the heart to the
entire body, and pulmonary arteries, which are responsible for
carrying blood from the heart to the lungs. Apart from the
pulmonary and umbilical arteries, the blood in the arteries is
oxygenated. Systematic arteries are classified as elastic and
muscular depending on their composition. The larger arteries are
generally elastic and the smaller ones tend to be muscular.
Systematic arteries carry blood to the arterioles, which are the
smallest type of arteries and are responsible for delivering
blood to the capillaries. Arterioles also regulate blood
pressure by the muscular contraction of their walls. Capillaries
are tiny blood vessels in which gasses and nutrients are
exchanged. Arteries are subject to atherosclerosis, which occurs
when plaque build ups inside the artery walls as a result of
cholesterol, smoking, blood sugar, etc