The correct option is (a).
Explanation
The human circulatory system consists of double circulation: the systemic circuit (body) and the pulmonary circuit (lungs). The pulmonary circuit specifically handles the transport of blood between the heart and the lungs for oxygenation.- Statement 1 is Correct: The pulmonary artery originates from the right ventricle of the heart and transports deoxygenated blood to the lungs for oxygenation. It is the only artery in the adult human body (along with the umbilical arteries in the fetus) that carries deoxygenated blood.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: The pulmonary veins transport oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the left atrium of the heart. They do not transport blood to the kidneys. The vessel responsible for carrying blood from the heart (via the aorta) to the kidneys is the renal artery.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: The pulmonary vessels function as exceptions to the general rule of the circulatory system. While systemic arteries generally carry oxygen-rich blood and systemic veins carry oxygen-poor blood, the pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated (oxygen-poor) blood, and the pulmonary veins carry oxygenated (oxygen-rich) blood.
Key Takeaway: In the pulmonary circuit, arteries carry deoxygenated blood away from the heart to the lungs, while veins carry oxygenated blood from the lungs back to the heart, reversing the standard oxygenation pattern found in systemic circulation.