Compendium 1

What is life

Part 3: serous membranes

What are serous membranes?

 Also known as Serosa
 They line the trunk cavities and they cover the organs inside the cavities
 Fluid

Serous membranes
Double layered membranes
1. Parietal
- lines the body cavity
2. Visceral
- lines the internal organs
 Membranes separated by thin film of serous fluid – produced by the membranes
 Friction reduction
 Fluid is produced by the membranes, fills the cavity and acts like a lubricant – helps
the organs that move a lot (heart)
 Hold all the viscera together
Main reason for membranes
1. Lubrication
2. Friction reduction
Pericardial cavity
- Parietal and visceral pericardium
- contains pericardial fluid – not a space
o Peri – means around
o Cardio – heart
o This cavity contains the heart in the mediastinum

Pleural cavity
- parietal and visceral pleura
- plural cavity is filled with pleural fluid
o Lungs and ribs
o Lining of lungs – visceral plura

Peritoneal cavity
- parietal and visceral peritoneum
- peritoneal cavity is filled with peritoneal fluid
o Peri – means around
o Tonos – stretched around
- peritoneum – stretched around abdominal cavity
- parietal peritoneum – lining the cavity
- visceral peritoneum – lining the organs
- Retroperitoneal organs – behind the main cavity (kidney, LI, pancreases)