What is the function of the pulmonary trunk? (not arteries)?
1 Answer
The pulmonary trunk receives the initial bolus of blood from the right ventricle, which then bifurcates, distributing the blood to the left and right pulmonary arteries.
Explanation:
The pulmonary trunk is quite a large blood vessel, and is the only vessel to receive blood from the right ventricle.
Why? The blood that enters it has no usable oxygen content. So until it has been loaded up with oxygen, it would be fruitless to send it anywhere else but directly into the pulmonary trunk.
Once a volume of blood has passed through the pulmonary valve, it enters the pulmonary trunk which then bifurcates (splits) into the right and left pulmonary arteries.
The right pulmonary artery which travels horizontally to the right lung, whilst the left pulmonary artery is forced to take a more oblique route in an upward direction because of the cardiac impression in the left lung.
