What is the primary function of the pulmonary artery?

The primary function of the pulmonary artery is to carry deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. In the lungs, the blood releases carbon dioxide and absorbs oxygen, which is crucial for the process of respiration. This function is essential for maintaining the body’s oxygen supply and eliminating carbon dioxide, a waste product of cellular metabolism. As the only arteries in the body that carry deoxygenated blood, the pulmonary arteries play a unique and vital role in the circulatory system.

The other choices describe functions associated with different parts of the circulatory system. For instance, transporting oxygenated blood to the body is handled by the aorta, which delivers oxygen-rich blood from the left side of the heart to the entire body. Delivering oxygenated blood to the heart refers to the role of the pulmonary veins, which bring oxygen-rich blood back from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart. Distributing hormones throughout the body is primarily the function of the circulatory system but is not related to the task of the pulmonary artery itself.