Serous membranes

By O.P. (Paul) Gobée, dept. of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, last update: 17 feb 2018

 

Serous membranes

The pleura, pericardium and peritoneum are serous membranes. This section explains the terms 'serous membrane', 'serosa',  'mesothelium', which are often used in close relation with each other.

Serous membranes are membranes lining closed internal body cavities. The pleura, pericardium and peritoneum are serous membranes that line respectively the pleural, pericardial and peritoneal cavities.

Serous membranes secrete a slight amount of lubricating fluid. This allows the layers of the pleura, pericardium and peritoneum to move in relation to each other, and hence provides a certain amount of mobility to the ensheathed organs (resp. lung, heart, intestine). The secreted fluid is called serous fluid. A serous fluid is a watery fluid, resembling (blood-)serum. This also explains the name 'serous membrane'.

Figure. Histology of a serous membrane

Serous membranes consist of a single layer of epithelium, named mesothelium, attached to a supporting layer of connective tissue, with a small layer in between, the basal membrane (fig 1).

Epithelia are covering tissues. The type of epithelium that lines the internal body cavities, is called mesothelium. It is the mesothelium that secretes the lubricating fluid.

The largest part of the gut tube is ensheathed in peritoneum. Histologically, this can be seen as a layer on the outside of the gut. In histology this layer is called serosa after serous membrane. Serosa thus is the same as visceral peritoneum.

 



nid: 57100
Additional formats:
None available
Description:
The pericardium, pleura and peritoneum are serous membranes. The function and histology of serous membranes are explained.
Anatomical structures in item:
Peritoneum
Uploaded by: opgobee Netherlands, Leiden – Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University
Requirements for usage
You are free to use this item if you follow the requirements of the license: View license

If you use this item you should credit it as follows:

  • For usage in print - copy and paste the line below:
  • "Serous membranes" at AnatomyTOOL.org by , license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
  • For digital usage (e.g. in PowerPoint, Impress, Word, Writer) - copy and paste the line below (optionally add the license icon):
51863 reads
Serous membranes
Uploaded by: opgobee
Institution: Netherlands, Leiden – Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University
Review
  • Status: to be reviewed
The pericardium, pleura and peritoneum are serous membranes. The function and histology of serous membranes are explained.
User comments
Language
EN
Educational level
+ + +
User comments

Comments

Anatomical structures in item
Peritoneum
Topics
Gross