Vein venules, which continue to converge and form the larger veins. The de-oxygenated blood is taken by veins to the right atrium of the heart, which transfers the blood to the right ventricle, where it is then pumped through the pulmonary arteries to the lungs. In pulmonary circulation the pulmonary veins return oxygenated blood from the lungs to the left atrium, which empties into the left ventricle, completing the cycle of blood circulation. The return of blood to the heart is assisted by the action of the muscle pump, and by the thoracic pump action of breathing during respiration. Standing or
Renal vein Renal vein The renal veins are veins that drain the kidney. They connect the kidney to the inferior vena cava. They carry the blood filtered by the kidney. There is one vein per kidney, that divides into 4 divisions upon entering the kidney: Because the inferior vena cava is on the right half of the body, the left renal vein is generally the longer of the two. Because the inferior vena cava is not laterally symmetrical, the left renal vein often receives the following veins: This is in contrast to the right side of the body, where these veins drain