systemic arch

anatomy

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July 14, 2026

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The term "systemic arch" refers to any branchial arch that persists in adulthood, essentially being another name for the aortic arch. The aortic arch is a crucial part of the systemic circulation, which is the network of blood vessels that carries oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood from the heart to the body's tissues and returns oxygen-depleted blood to the heart.12

In mammals, the aorta leaves the left ventricle and curves to the left. This leftward curve of the aorta represents the left half of the systemic arch, with the right half being absent. The arteries that supply blood to the head and neck, known as the carotid arteries, branch off from this left systemic arch. Disorders affecting this area, such as aortic arch syndrome, can cause blockages in these vessels, leading to impaired blood flow to the head and neck.34

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circulatory system
Amphibians
…are the carotid (the third), systemic (the fourth), and pulmonary (the sixth) arches. Blood to the lungs (and skin in frogs) is always carried by the sixth arterial arch, which loses its connection to the dorsal aorta. All land vertebrates supply their lungs with deoxygenated blood from this source.
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…are the carotid (the third), systemic (the fourth), and pulmonary (the sixth) arches. Blood to the lungs (and skin in frogs) is always carried by the sixth arterial arch, which loses its connection to the dorsal aorta. All land vertebrates supply their lungs with deoxygenated blood from this source.
Read More