aorta

aorta The largest artery in the body, the major conduit from the heart to the body. The aorta arises from the left ventricle of the heart, ascends a little, arches, and then descends through the chest and the abdomen, ending by dividing into two arteries, the common iliac arteries, that supply blood to the lower extremities. Anatomically, the aorta is traditionally divided into the ascending aorta, the aortic arch, and the descending aorta. The descending aorta is, in turn, subdivided into the thoracic aorta, which goes from the heart to above the diaphragm, and the abdominal aorta, which is below the diaphragm. The aorta has branches to the head and neck, the arms, the major organs in the chest and abdomen, and the legs. It supplies them all with oxygenated blood. See also abdominal aorta; ascending aorta; descending aorta; thoracic aorta.