Heart (and its associated blood vessels)
The aorta emerges out of the heart as the aortic arch because it U-turns (180 degree) to become the dorsal aorta. Three arteries branch off the aortic arch : two to the head via the neck and one to the left arm. With reference to the following photograph, they are respectively from left to right, innominate artery (brachiocephalic), left common carotid artery, and left subclavian artery. The coronary artery also branches off at the beginning of the aorta but it supplies the heart muscles (For reference, see the bottom of this page). [Back to Human anatomy menu]
The first part of the dorsal aorta.
The two neck arteries.
For reference, the following shows a dissected pig's heart
