What type of blood vessels are arteries?

Arteries are strong vessels that carry blood away from the heart. Their primary function is to transport oxygenated blood throughout the body, except for the pulmonary arteries, which carry deoxygenated blood to the lungs. The walls of arteries are thick and muscular, allowing them to withstand and regulate the high pressure of blood being pumped from the heart. This muscular structure is essential for maintaining blood flow and can also help direct blood to specific areas of the body through vasoconstriction and vasodilation.

The other choices describe different types of blood vessels or functions that are not characteristic of arteries. For example, elastic vessels are a specific type of artery, but not all arteries can be defined solely by elasticity. Thin-walled vessels are representative of capillaries, where gas exchange occurs, while veins are responsible for returning deoxygenated blood to the heart. Thus, the emphasis on arteries as strong vessels that transport blood away from the heart is crucial in understanding their role in the circulatory system.