After gas exchange takes place in the capillaries, the deoxygenated blood returns to the heart through the venules and then into larger veins. The venules are small blood vessels that collect blood from the capillaries and merge into the veins. From there, the blood is pumped back to the heart and then directed to the lungs for oxygenation or to other parts of the body, depending on its route within the circulatory system.
