In human anatomy

Human anatomy

Human anatomy is primarily the scientific study of the morphology of the human body. Anatomy is subdivided into gross anatomy and microscopic anatomy. Gross anatomy is the study of anatomical structures that can be seen by the naked eye...

, the lateral thoracic artery (or external mammary artery) is a blood vessel

Blood vessel

The blood vessels are the part of the circulatory system that transports blood throughout the body. There are three major types of blood vessels: the arteries, which carry the blood away from the heart; the capillaries, which enable the actual exchange of water and chemicals between the blood and...

 that supplies oxygenated blood

Blood

Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....

 to the lateral structures of the thorax

Thorax

The thorax is a division of an animal's body that lies between the head and the abdomen.-In tetrapods:...

 and breast

Breast

The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...

.

It originates from the axillary artery

Axillary artery

In human anatomy, the axillary artery is a large blood vessel that conveys oxygenated blood to the lateral aspect of the thorax, the axilla and the upper limb...

 and follows the lower border of the Pectoralis minor muscle

Pectoralis minor muscle

The pectoralis minor is a thin, triangular muscle, situated at the upper part of the chest, beneath the pectoralis major.-Origin and insertion:...

 to the side of the chest, supplies the Serratus anterior muscle

Serratus anterior muscle

The serratus anterior is a muscle that originates on the surface of the upper eight or nine ribs at the side of the chest and inserts along the entire anterior length of the medial border of the scapula.-Origin:...

 and the Pectoralis major muscle

Pectoralis major muscle

The pectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped muscle, situated at the chest of the body. It makes up the bulk of the chest muscles in the male and lies under the breast in the female...

, and sends branches across the axilla to the axillary lymph nodes and Subscapularis muscle

Subscapularis muscle

The subscapularis is a large triangular muscle which fills the subscapular fossa and inserts into the lesser tubercle of the humerus and the front of the capsule of the shoulder-joint.-Origin and insertion:...

.

It anastomoses with the internal thoracic artery

Internal thoracic artery

In human anatomy, the internal thoracic artery , previously known as the internal mammary artery , is an artery that supplies the anterior chest wall and the breasts...

, subscapular, and intercostal arteries, and with the pectoral branch of the thoracoacromial artery

Thoracoacromial artery

The thoracoacromial artery is a short trunk, which arises from the forepart of the axillary artery, its origin being generally overlapped by the upper edge of the Pectoralis minor.-Branches:...

.

In the female it supplies an external mammary branch which turns round the free edge of the Pectoralis major and supplies the breast

Breast

The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...

s.