Artery vs. Vein

Arteries and veins are both components of the circulatory system in humans and other animals. Their primary function is the transport of blood throughout the body.

An artery is a tube-shaped vessel that transports blood from the heart throughout the body. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body. The largest artery in the body, the aorta, branches directly off of the heart. Since an artery is muscular, you can feel the pulse of your beating heart through it.

A vein is a tube-shaped vessel that transports blood from all parts of the body to the heart. Veins carry blood low in oxygen back to the heart. Valves within the veins prevent blood from flowing backward. Medical professionals usually give injections into veins rather than arteries.

Because of the low hemoglobin, veins tend to be darker in color than arteries. Arteries are made up of thicker muscle tissue than veins to better support the high pressure of blood flow. Arteries are located deeper in the body than veins, which can be close to the surface of the skin.