What is the name of the main artery that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart in mammals?

The main artery that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart in mammals is called the aorta. After blood is oxygenated in the lungs, it returns to the heart where it is pumped into the aorta, the largest artery in the body. The aorta branches out into smaller arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to various tissues and organs throughout the body.

The pulmonary artery, on the other hand, carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs, while the coronary artery supplies blood to the heart muscle itself. The vena cava refers to large veins that bring deoxygenated blood back to the heart, specifically from the upper and lower body. Understanding these distinct roles of these blood vessels highlights why the aorta is specifically identified as the vessel transporting oxygenated blood from the heart.