Blood vessels form a closed system that begins and ends at the heart. There are three main types of blood vessels - arteries, which transport blood away from the heart; capillaries, which allow for exchange of materials between blood and tissues; and veins, which carry blood from the capillaries back towards the heart. Arteries branch into smaller arteries and then arterioles, which feed into capillary beds. Blood then drains from the capillaries into venules and veins of increasing size until emptying back into the heart, completing its 60,000 mile journey through the body transporting blood to and from tissues.