Which arteries branch off from the thoracic aorta and supply the lung tissues with blood?

The arteries that branch off from the thoracic aorta and supply the lung tissues with blood are the bronchial arteries.

Here are the steps:

1. The thoracic aorta, which is a part of the descending aorta, runs down through the chest area (thorax).

2. As it descends, it gives off several branches. These branches supply blood to the various organs and tissues in the thorax.

3. Among these branches are the bronchial arteries. Usually, there are two bronchial arteries that arise from the thoracic aorta - one for each lung.

4. These bronchial arteries then enter the lungs, where they branch off into smaller arteries and arterioles to supply the lung tissues with oxygenated blood.

5. It's important to note that the bronchial arteries supply blood to the tissues of the lungs themselves, not to the air sacs (alveoli) where gas exchange occurs. The alveoli are supplied with deoxygenated blood by the pulmonary arteries, which come directly from the heart.