What is systemic circulation primarily responsible for?

Systemic circulation is primarily responsible for transporting oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. This function is critical, as the oxygen carried by the blood is essential for the metabolic processes of tissues and organs throughout the body. After oxygen is delivered, the blood, now deoxygenated, returns to the heart through the venous system to enter the pulmonary circulation, where it will be reoxygenated in the lungs.

In contrast, the other options refer to different circulatory functions. For example, delivering deoxygenated blood to the lungs pertains to pulmonary circulation, which is responsible for gas exchange—removing carbon dioxide and replenishing oxygen in the blood. While removing waste products is a vital process that occurs within various circulatory systems, it is not the primary function of systemic circulation specifically. Lastly, circulating lymph is a function of the lymphatic system, which is separate from both the systemic and pulmonary circulatory systems and is primarily involved in immune function and balancing fluid in the body.