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<input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 25 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-25" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">25 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ar mw-list-item"><a href="https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%BA%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%A1_%D9%85%D8%B5%D9%84%D9%8A" title="غشاء مصلي – Arabic" lang="ar" hreflang="ar" data-title="غشاء مصلي" data-language-autonym="العربية" data-language-local-name="Arabic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>العربية</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-az mw-list-item"><a href="https://az.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seroz_qi%C5%9Fa" title="Seroz qişa – Azerbaijani" lang="az" hreflang="az" data-title="Seroz qişa" data-language-autonym="Azərbaycanca" data-language-local-name="Azerbaijani" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Azərbaycanca</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-be mw-list-item"><a href="https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B0%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0" title="Серозная абалонка – Belarusian" lang="be" hreflang="be" data-title="Серозная абалонка" data-language-autonym="Беларуская" data-language-local-name="Belarusian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Беларуская</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Membrana_serosa" title="Membrana serosa – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="Membrana serosa" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunica_serosa" title="Tunica serosa – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Tunica serosa" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-et mw-list-item"><a href="https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelme" title="Kelme – Estonian" lang="et" hreflang="et" data-title="Kelme" data-language-autonym="Eesti" data-language-local-name="Estonian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Eesti</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-es mw-list-item"><a href="https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serosa" title="Serosa – Spanish" lang="es" hreflang="es" data-title="Serosa" data-language-autonym="Español" data-language-local-name="Spanish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Español</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eo mw-list-item"><a href="https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serozo" title="Serozo – Esperanto" lang="eo" hreflang="eo" data-title="Serozo" data-language-autonym="Esperanto" data-language-local-name="Esperanto" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Esperanto</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-eu mw-list-item"><a href="https://eu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serosa" title="Serosa – Basque" lang="eu" hreflang="eu" data-title="Serosa" data-language-autonym="Euskara" data-language-local-name="Basque" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Euskara</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fa mw-list-item"><a href="https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%B2" title="سروز – Persian" lang="fa" hreflang="fa" data-title="سروز" data-language-autonym="فارسی" data-language-local-name="Persian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>فارسی</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A9reuse" title="Séreuse – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Séreuse" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%9E%A5%EB%A7%89_(%EC%83%9D%EB%AC%BC%ED%95%99)" title="장막 (생물학) – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="장막 (생물학)" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-is mw-list-item"><a href="https://is.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A1la" title="Hála – Icelandic" lang="is" hreflang="is" data-title="Hála" data-language-autonym="Íslenska" data-language-local-name="Icelandic" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Íslenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Membrana_sierosa" title="Membrana sierosa – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Membrana sierosa" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%A7%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%9D_%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%99%D7%95%D7%91%D7%99" title="קרום נסיובי – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="קרום נסיובי" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-lt mw-list-item"><a href="https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serozin%C4%97_pl%C4%97v%C4%97" title="Serozinė plėvė – Lithuanian" lang="lt" hreflang="lt" data-title="Serozinė plėvė" data-language-autonym="Lietuvių" data-language-local-name="Lithuanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Lietuvių</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%BC%BF%E8%86%9C" title="漿膜 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="漿膜" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C5%82ona_surowicza" title="Błona surowicza – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Błona surowicza" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Membrana_serosa" title="Membrana serosa – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="Membrana serosa" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ro mw-list-item"><a href="https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seroas%C4%83" title="Seroasă – Romanian" lang="ro" hreflang="ro" data-title="Seroasă" data-language-autonym="Română" data-language-local-name="Romanian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Română</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B7%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%B0" title="Серозная оболочка – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Серозная оболочка" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-simple mw-list-item"><a href="https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serosa" title="Serosa – Simple English" lang="en-simple" hreflang="en-simple" data-title="Serosa" data-language-autonym="Simple English" data-language-local-name="Simple English" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Simple English</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ser%C3%B6s_hinna" title="Serös hinna – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Serös hinna" data-language-autonym="Svenska" data-language-local-name="Swedish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Svenska</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ta mw-list-item"><a href="https://ta.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%80%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%8D_%E0%AE%9A%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%81" title="சீரச் சவ்வு – Tamil" lang="ta" hreflang="ta" data-title="சீரச் சவ்வு" data-language-autonym="தமிழ்" data-language-local-name="Tamil" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>தமிழ்</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-tr mw-list-item"><a href="https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ser%C3%B6z_membran" title="Seröz membran – Turkish" lang="tr" hreflang="tr" data-title="Seröz membran" 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class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Smooth coating lining contents and inner walls of body cavities</div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1257001546">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme)>div:not(.notheme)[style]{background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data:not(.notheme) div:not(.notheme){background:#1f1f23!important;color:#f8f9fa}}@media(min-width:640px){body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table{display:table!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>caption{display:table-caption!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table>tbody{display:table-row-group}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table tr{display:table-row!important}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table th,body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .infobox-table td{padding-left:inherit;padding-right:inherit}}</style><table class="infobox"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="background-color:dimgray; color: white">Serous membrane</th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/File:Gastrointestinal_wall_of_human_stomach_hariadhi.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cb/Gastrointestinal_wall_of_human_stomach_hariadhi.svg/250px-Gastrointestinal_wall_of_human_stomach_hariadhi.svg.png" 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(Serosa is labeled at far right, and is colored yellow.)</div></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color: #efefef">Details</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Embryology" title="Embryology">Precursor</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/wiki/Mesoderm" title="Mesoderm">Mesoderm</a></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header" style="background-color: #efefef">Identifiers</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Latin" title="Latin">Latin</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><i>tunica serosa</i></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Medical_Subject_Headings" title="Medical Subject Headings">MeSH</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://meshb.nlm.nih.gov/record/ui?ui=D012704">D012704</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="padding-right:0.25em"><a href="/wiki/Foundational_Model_of_Anatomy" title="Foundational Model of Anatomy">FMA</a></th><td class="infobox-data"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://bioportal.bioontology.org/ontologies/FMA/?p=classes&conceptid=http%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2Fsig%2Font%2Ffma%2Ffma9581">9581</a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-below"><a href="/wiki/Anatomical_terminology" title="Anatomical terminology">Anatomical terminology</a><div style="text-align: right;"><small class="noprint">[<a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1364005" class="extiw" title="d:Q1364005">edit on Wikidata</a>]</small></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output 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src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Layers_of_the_GI_Tract_english.svg/200px-Layers_of_the_GI_Tract_english.svg.png" decoding="async" width="200" height="123" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Layers_of_the_GI_Tract_english.svg/300px-Layers_of_the_GI_Tract_english.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Layers_of_the_GI_Tract_english.svg/400px-Layers_of_the_GI_Tract_english.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="700" data-file-height="431" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle-with-top-image">This article is one of a series on the</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle"><a href="/wiki/Gastrointestinal_wall" title="Gastrointestinal wall">Gastrointestinal wall</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">General structure</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Intestinal_epithelium" title="Intestinal epithelium">Epithelium</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mucous_membrane" title="Mucous membrane">Mucosa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Submucosa" title="Submucosa">Submucosa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Muscular_layer" title="Muscular layer">Circular muscle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Muscular_layer" title="Muscular layer">Longitudinal muscle</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Serosa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Adventitia" title="Adventitia">Adventitia</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Specific</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Meissner%27s_plexus" class="mw-redirect" title="Meissner's plexus">Meissner's plexus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Auerbach%27s_plexus" class="mw-redirect" title="Auerbach's plexus">Auerbach's plexus</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="color: var(--color-base)">Organs</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Esophagus#Histology" title="Esophagus">Esophagus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stomach#Histology" title="Stomach">Stomach</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Intestines#Histology" class="mw-redirect" title="Intestines">Intestines</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar 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href="/wiki/Template:Gastrointestinal_wall_series" title="Template:Gastrointestinal wall series"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Gastrointestinal_wall_series" title="Template talk:Gastrointestinal wall series"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Gastrointestinal_wall_series" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Gastrointestinal wall series"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Serous_Membrane.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Serous_Membrane.jpg/220px-Serous_Membrane.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="108" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Serous_Membrane.jpg/330px-Serous_Membrane.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Serous_Membrane.jpg/440px-Serous_Membrane.jpg 2x" data-file-width="883" data-file-height="433" /></a><figcaption>Serous membrane lines the pericardial cavity and reflects back to cover the heart—much the same way that an underinflated balloon would form two layers surrounding a fist.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></figcaption></figure> <p>The <b>serous membrane</b> (or <b>serosa</b>) is a smooth <a href="/wiki/Tissue_membrane" title="Tissue membrane">tissue membrane</a> of <a href="/wiki/Mesothelium" title="Mesothelium">mesothelium</a> lining the contents and inner walls of <a href="/wiki/Body_cavity" title="Body cavity">body cavities</a>, which secrete <a href="/wiki/Serous_fluid" title="Serous fluid">serous fluid</a> to allow <a href="/wiki/Lubricate" class="mw-redirect" title="Lubricate">lubricated</a> <a href="/wiki/Sliding_(motion)" title="Sliding (motion)">sliding movements</a> between opposing surfaces. The serous membrane that covers <a href="/wiki/Organ_(anatomy)" class="mw-redirect" title="Organ (anatomy)">internal organs</a> is called <i><b>visceral</b></i>, while the one that covers the cavity wall is called <i><b>parietal</b></i>. For instance the <a href="/wiki/Peritoneum" title="Peritoneum">parietal peritoneum</a> is attached to the <a href="/wiki/Abdominal_wall" title="Abdominal wall">abdominal wall</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Pelvic_walls" class="mw-redirect" title="Pelvic walls">pelvic walls</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The <a href="/wiki/Peritoneum" title="Peritoneum">visceral peritoneum</a> is wrapped around the visceral organs. For the heart, the layers of the serous membrane are called parietal and visceral <a href="/wiki/Pericardium" title="Pericardium">pericardium</a>. For the lungs they are called parietal and visceral pleura. The visceral serosa of the <a href="/wiki/Uterus" title="Uterus">uterus</a> is called the <a href="/wiki/Perimetrium" title="Perimetrium">perimetrium</a>. The <a href="/wiki/Potential_space" title="Potential space">potential space</a> between two opposing serosal surfaces is mostly empty except for the small amount of serous fluid.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The Latin anatomical name is <i><b><a href="/wiki/Tunica_(biology)" title="Tunica (biology)">tunica</a> serosa</b></i>. Serous membranes line and enclose several <a href="/wiki/Body_cavities" class="mw-redirect" title="Body cavities">body cavities</a>, also known as serous cavities, where they secrete a lubricating fluid which reduces friction from movements. Serosa is entirely different from the <a href="/wiki/Adventitia" title="Adventitia">adventitia</a>, a <a href="/wiki/Connective_tissue" title="Connective tissue">connective tissue</a> layer which binds together structures rather than reducing friction between them. The serous membrane covering the <a href="/wiki/Human_heart" class="mw-redirect" title="Human heart">heart</a> and lining the <a href="/wiki/Mediastinum" title="Mediastinum">mediastinum</a> is referred to as the <a href="/wiki/Pericardium" title="Pericardium">pericardium</a>, the serous membrane lining the <a href="/wiki/Thoracic_cavity" title="Thoracic cavity">thoracic cavity</a> and surrounding the <a href="/wiki/Lungs" class="mw-redirect" title="Lungs">lungs</a> is referred to as the <a href="/wiki/Pleura" title="Pleura">pleura</a>, and that lining the <a href="/wiki/Abdominopelvic_cavity" title="Abdominopelvic cavity">abdominopelvic cavity</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Viscera" class="mw-redirect" title="Viscera">viscera</a> is referred to as the <a href="/wiki/Peritoneum" title="Peritoneum">peritoneum</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Structure">Structure</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Serous_membrane&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Structure"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Serous membranes have two layers. The parietal layers of the membranes line the walls of the body cavity (pariet- refers to a cavity wall). The visceral layer of the membrane covers the organs (the viscera). Between the parietal and visceral layers is a very thin, fluid-filled serous space, or cavity.<sup id="cite_ref-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology_4-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Visceral_and_parietal_layers">Visceral and parietal layers</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Serous_membrane&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Visceral and parietal layers"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Each serous membrane is composed of a secretory <a href="/wiki/Epithelium" title="Epithelium">epithelial</a> layer and a <a href="/wiki/Connective_tissue" title="Connective tissue">connective tissue</a> layer underneath. </p> <ul><li>The <i><b>epithelial layer</b></i>, known as <a href="/wiki/Mesothelium" title="Mesothelium">mesothelium</a>, consists of a single layer of <a href="/wiki/Blood_vessel" title="Blood vessel">avascular</a> flat <a href="/wiki/Nucleated" class="mw-redirect" title="Nucleated">nucleated</a> cells (<a href="/wiki/Simple_squamous_epithelium" title="Simple squamous epithelium">simple squamous epithelium</a>) which produce the lubricating serous fluid. This fluid has a consistency similar to thin <a href="/wiki/Mucus" title="Mucus">mucus</a>. These cells are bound tightly to the underlying connective tissue.</li> <li>The <i><b>connective tissue layer</b></i> provides the <a href="/wiki/Blood_vessels" class="mw-redirect" title="Blood vessels">blood vessels</a> and <a href="/wiki/Nerves" class="mw-redirect" title="Nerves">nerves</a> for the overlying secretory cells, and also serves as the binding layer which allows the whole serous membrane to adhere to organs and other structures.</li></ul> <p>For the heart, the layers of the serous membrane are called the parietal <a href="/wiki/Pericardium" title="Pericardium">pericardium</a>, and the visceral pericardium (sometimes called the <a href="/wiki/Epicardium" class="mw-redirect" title="Epicardium">epicardium</a>). Other parts of the body may also have specific names for these structures. For example, the serosa of the <a href="/wiki/Uterus" title="Uterus">uterus</a> is called the <a href="/wiki/Perimetrium" title="Perimetrium">perimetrium</a>. </p> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Serous_organ_invagination.gif" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Serous_organ_invagination.gif/300px-Serous_organ_invagination.gif" decoding="async" width="300" height="130" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Serous_organ_invagination.gif 1.5x" data-file-width="443" data-file-height="192" /></a><figcaption> Schematic diagram of an organ invaginating into a serous cavity</figcaption></figure> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Pericardium" title="Pericardium">pericardial cavity</a> (surrounding the <a href="/wiki/Heart" title="Heart">heart</a>), <a href="/wiki/Pleura" title="Pleura"> pleural cavity</a> (surrounding the <a href="/wiki/Lung" title="Lung">lungs</a>) and <a href="/wiki/Peritoneum" title="Peritoneum">peritoneal cavity</a> (surrounding most organs of the <a href="/wiki/Abdomen" title="Abdomen">abdomen</a>) are the three serous cavities within the human body. While serous membranes have a lubricative role to play in all three cavities, in the pleural cavity it has a greater role to play in the function of breathing. </p><p>The serous cavities are formed from the intraembryonic coelom and are basically an empty space within the body surrounded by serous membrane. Early in embryonic life visceral organs develop adjacent to a cavity and invaginate into the bag-like coelom. Therefore, each organ becomes surrounded by serous membrane - they <i>do not</i> lie within the serous cavity. The layer in contact with the organ is known as the visceral layer, while the parietal layer is in contact with the body wall. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Examples">Examples</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Serous_membrane&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Examples"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In the human body, there are three serous cavities with associated serous membranes: </p> <ul><li>A serous membrane lines the <a href="/wiki/Pericardial_cavity" class="mw-redirect" title="Pericardial cavity">pericardial cavity</a> of the heart, and reflects back to cover the heart, much like an under-inflated balloon would form two layers surrounding a fist. Called the <a href="/wiki/Pericardium" title="Pericardium">pericardium</a>, this serous membrane is a two-layered sac that surrounds the entire heart except where blood vessels emerge on the heart's superior side;<sup id="cite_ref-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology_4-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Pleura" title="Pleura">pleura</a> is the serous membrane that surrounds the lungs in the pleural cavity;</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Peritoneum" title="Peritoneum">peritoneum</a> is the serous membrane that surrounds several organs in the abdominopelvic cavity.</li> <li>The <a href="/wiki/Tunica_vaginalis" title="Tunica vaginalis">tunica vaginalis</a> is the serous membrane, which surrounds the male gonad, the testis.</li></ul> <p>The two layers of serous membranes are named <b>parietal</b> and <b>visceral</b>. Between the two layers is a thin fluid filled space.<sup id="cite_ref-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology_4-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The fluid is produced by the serous membranes and stays between the two layers to reduce friction between the walls of the cavities and the internal organs when they move with respect to one another, such as when the lungs inflate or the heart beats. Such movement could otherwise lead to inflammation of the organs.<sup id="cite_ref-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology_4-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Development">Development</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Serous_membrane&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Development"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>All serous membranes found in the human body formed ultimately from the <a href="/wiki/Mesoderm" title="Mesoderm">mesoderm</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Trilaminar_embryo" class="mw-redirect" title="Trilaminar embryo">trilaminar embryo</a>. The trilaminar embryo consists of three relatively flat layers of <a href="/wiki/Ectoderm" title="Ectoderm">ectoderm</a>, <a href="/wiki/Endoderm" title="Endoderm">endoderm</a> (also known as "entoderm") and <a href="/wiki/Mesoderm" title="Mesoderm">mesoderm</a>. </p><p>As the embryo develops, the mesoderm starts to segment into three main regions: the <a href="/wiki/Paraxial_mesoderm" title="Paraxial mesoderm">paraxial mesoderm</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Intermediate_mesoderm" title="Intermediate mesoderm">intermediate mesoderm</a> and the <a href="/wiki/Lateral_plate_mesoderm" title="Lateral plate mesoderm">lateral plate mesoderm</a>. </p><p>The lateral plate mesoderm later splits in half to form two layers bounding a cavity known as the <a href="/wiki/Intraembryonic_coelom" title="Intraembryonic coelom">intraembryonic coelom</a>. Individually, each layer is known as <a href="/wiki/Splanchnopleure" class="mw-redirect" title="Splanchnopleure">splanchnopleure</a> and <a href="/wiki/Somatopleure" class="mw-redirect" title="Somatopleure">somatopleure</a>. </p> <ul><li>The <i><b>splanchnopleure</b></i> is associated with the underlying endoderm with which it is in contact, and later becomes the serous membrane in contact with visceral organs within the body.</li> <li>The <i><b>somatopleure</b></i> is associated with the overlying ectoderm and later becomes the serous membrane in contact with the body wall.</li></ul> <p>The <a href="/wiki/Intraembryonic_coelom" title="Intraembryonic coelom">intraembryonic coelom</a> can now be seen as a cavity within the body which is covered with serous membrane derived from the splanchnopleure. This cavity is divided and demarcated by the folding and development of the embryo, ultimately forming the serous cavities which house many different organs within the <a href="/wiki/Thorax" title="Thorax">thorax</a> and <a href="/wiki/Abdomen" title="Abdomen">abdomen</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Diseases">Diseases</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Serous_membrane&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Diseases"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><a href="/wiki/Mesothelioma" title="Mesothelioma">Mesotheliomas</a> are <a href="/wiki/Neoplasia" class="mw-redirect" title="Neoplasia">neoplasias</a> that are relatively specific for serous membranes. The modified <a href="/wiki/M%C3%BCllerian_duct" class="mw-redirect" title="Müllerian duct">Müllerian</a>-derived serous membranes that surrounds the <a href="/wiki/Ovary" title="Ovary">ovaries</a> in females can give rise to <a href="/wiki/Serous_tumor" class="mw-redirect" title="Serous tumor">serous tumors</a>, a solid to papillary tumor type that may also arise within the <a href="/wiki/Uterus" title="Uterus">uterus</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Anatomical_images">Anatomical images</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Serous_membrane&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Anatomical images"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul class="gallery mw-gallery-traditional"> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Illu_stomach_layers.jpg" class="mw-file-description" title="Layers of stomach wall"><img alt="Layers of stomach wall" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Illu_stomach_layers.jpg/120px-Illu_stomach_layers.jpg" decoding="async" width="120" height="101" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Illu_stomach_layers.jpg/180px-Illu_stomach_layers.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/Illu_stomach_layers.jpg/240px-Illu_stomach_layers.jpg 2x" data-file-width="330" data-file-height="278" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Layers of stomach wall</div> </li> <li class="gallerybox" style="width: 155px"> <div class="thumb" style="width: 150px; height: 150px;"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Gray1058.png" class="mw-file-description" title="Section of duodenum of cat"><img alt="Section of duodenum of cat" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Gray1058.png/83px-Gray1058.png" decoding="async" width="83" height="120" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Gray1058.png/125px-Gray1058.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Gray1058.png/166px-Gray1058.png 2x" data-file-width="400" data-file-height="577" /></a></span></div> <div class="gallerytext">Section of duodenum of cat</div> </li> </ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Serous_membrane&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">This article uses <a href="/wiki/Anatomical_terminology" title="Anatomical terminology">anatomical terminology</a>.</div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Adventitia" title="Adventitia">Adventitia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pericardial_cavity" class="mw-redirect" title="Pericardial cavity">Pericardial cavity</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Serous_membrane&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><i>This Wikipedia entry incorporates text from the freely licensed Connexions <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://cnx.org">[1]</a> edition of Anatomy & Physiology <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://cnx.org/content/col11496/1.6/">[2]</a> text-book by OpenStax College</i> </p> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width reflist-columns-2"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFJ._Gordon_BettsKelly_A._YoungJames_A._WiseEddie_Johnson2013" class="citation book cs1">J. Gordon Betts; Kelly A. Young; James A. Wise; Eddie Johnson; Brandon Poe; Dean H. Kruse; Oksana Korol; Jody E. Johnson; Mark Womble; Peter DeSaix (Apr 25, 2013). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/1-6-anatomical-terminology">"1.6 Anatomical Terminology"</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/1-introduction"><i>Anatomy and Physiology</i></a>. Houston, Texas: OpenStax.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=1.6+Anatomical+Terminology&rft.btitle=Anatomy+and+Physiology&rft.place=Houston%2C+Texas&rft.pub=OpenStax&rft.date=2013-04-25&rft.au=J.+Gordon+Betts&rft.au=Kelly+A.+Young&rft.au=James+A.+Wise&rft.au=Eddie+Johnson&rft.au=Brandon+Poe&rft.au=Dean+H.+Kruse&rft.au=Oksana+Korol&rft.au=Jody+E.+Johnson&rft.au=Mark+Womble&rft.au=Peter+DeSaix&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fopenstax.org%2Fbooks%2Fanatomy-and-physiology%2Fpages%2F1-6-anatomical-terminology&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASerous+membrane" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFTank2013" class="citation book cs1">Tank PW (2013). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=JDC-dFMy-BIC&pg=PA99">"Chapter 4: The abdomen"</a>. <i>Grant's dissector</i> (Fifteenth ed.). Philadelphia. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-60913-606-2" title="Special:BookSources/978-1-60913-606-2"><bdi>978-1-60913-606-2</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Chapter+4%3A+The+abdomen&rft.btitle=Grant%27s+dissector&rft.place=Philadelphia&rft.edition=Fifteenth&rft.date=2013&rft.isbn=978-1-60913-606-2&rft.aulast=Tank&rft.aufirst=PW&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fbooks.google.com%2Fbooks%3Fid%3DJDC-dFMy-BIC%26pg%3DPA99&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASerous+membrane" class="Z3988"></span><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{<a href="/wiki/Template:Cite_book" title="Template:Cite book">cite book</a>}}</code>: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (<a href="/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher" title="Category:CS1 maint: location missing publisher">link</a>)</span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/ap/histology_mh/lincov.html">"The Anatomy of Lining and Covering Tissues-Membranes!"</a>. McGraw-Hill Companies<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">September 2,</span> 2017</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=The+Anatomy+of+Lining+and+Covering+Tissues-Membranes%21&rft.pub=McGraw-Hill+Companies&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mhhe.com%2Fbiosci%2Fap%2Fhistology_mh%2Flincov.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASerous+membrane" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology_4-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology_4-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology_4-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Openstax_Anatomy_&_Physiology_4-3"><sup><i><b>d</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://cnx.org/content/col11496/latest/">"Anatomy & Physiology"</a>. Openstax college at Connexions<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">November 16,</span> 2013</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Anatomy+%26+Physiology&rft.pub=Openstax+college+at+Connexions&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fcnx.org%2Fcontent%2Fcol11496%2Flatest%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASerous+membrane" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Serous_membrane&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/College_of_Medicine_at_Urbana-Champaign" class="mw-redirect" title="College of Medicine at Urbana-Champaign">UIUC Histology Subject</a> <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://histo.life.illinois.edu/histo/atlas/oimages.php?oid=844">844</a></i></li> <li><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFParsons1911" class="citation encyclopaedia cs1">Parsons, Frederick Gymer (1911). <span class="cs1-ws-icon" title="s:1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Coelom and Serous Membranes"><a class="external text" href="https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Coelom_and_Serous_Membranes">"Coelom and Serous Membranes" </a></span>. <i><a href="/wiki/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition" title="Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition">Encyclopædia Britannica</a></i>. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). pp. 642–644.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Coelom+and+Serous+Membranes&rft.btitle=Encyclop%C3%A6dia+Britannica&rft.pages=642-644&rft.edition=11th&rft.date=1911&rft.aulast=Parsons&rft.aufirst=Frederick+Gymer&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ASerous+membrane" class="Z3988"></span></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output 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.navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Anatomy_of_the_gastrointestinal_tract,_excluding_the_mouth" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Gastrointestinal_tract" title="Template:Gastrointestinal tract"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Gastrointestinal_tract" title="Template talk:Gastrointestinal tract"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Gastrointestinal_tract" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Gastrointestinal tract"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Anatomy_of_the_gastrointestinal_tract,_excluding_the_mouth" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Anatomy of the <a href="/wiki/Gastrointestinal_tract" title="Gastrointestinal tract">gastrointestinal tract</a>, excluding the <a href="/wiki/Human_mouth" title="Human mouth">mouth</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Gastrointestinal_tract#Upper_gastrointestinal_tract" title="Gastrointestinal tract">Upper</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Pharynx" title="Pharynx">Pharynx</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Pharyngeal_muscles" title="Pharyngeal muscles">Muscles</a></li> <li>Spaces <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Peripharyngeal_space" title="Peripharyngeal space">peripharyngeal </a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Retropharyngeal_space" title="Retropharyngeal space">retropharyngeal </a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Parapharyngeal_space" title="Parapharyngeal space">parapharyngeal </a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Retrovisceral_space" title="Retrovisceral space">retrovisceral </a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Danger_space" title="Danger space">danger</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Prevertebral_space" title="Prevertebral space">prevertebral</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pterygomandibular_raphe" title="Pterygomandibular raphe">Pterygomandibular raphe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pharyngeal_raphe" title="Pharyngeal raphe">Pharyngeal raphe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Buccopharyngeal_fascia" title="Buccopharyngeal fascia">Buccopharyngeal fascia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pharyngobasilar_fascia" title="Pharyngobasilar fascia">Pharyngobasilar fascia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pyriform_sinus" title="Pyriform sinus">Pyriform sinus</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Esophagus" title="Esophagus">Esophagus</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>Sphincters <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Esophagus#Sphincters" title="Esophagus">upper</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Esophagus#Sphincters" title="Esophagus">lower</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Esophageal_gland" title="Esophageal gland">glands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Crop_(anatomy)" title="Crop (anatomy)">crop</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Stomach" title="Stomach">Stomach</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>Curvatures <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Curvatures_of_the_stomach#Greater_curvature" title="Curvatures of the stomach">greater</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Curvatures_of_the_stomach#Lesser_curvature" title="Curvatures of the stomach">lesser</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Angular_incisure" title="Angular incisure">Angular incisure</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stomach#Sections" title="Stomach">Cardia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stomach#Structure" title="Stomach">Body</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stomach#Structure" title="Stomach">Fundus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pylorus" title="Pylorus">Pylorus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gastric_mucosa" title="Gastric mucosa">Gastric mucosa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gastric_folds" title="Gastric folds">Gastric folds</a></li> <li>Microanatomy <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Gastric_pits" title="Gastric pits">Gastric pits</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gastric_glands" title="Gastric glands">Gastric glands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cardiac_glands" class="mw-redirect" title="Cardiac glands">Cardiac glands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fundic_glands" class="mw-redirect" title="Fundic glands">Fundic glands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pylorus#Histology" title="Pylorus">Pyloric glands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Foveolar_cell" title="Foveolar cell">Foveolar cells</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Parietal_cell" title="Parietal cell">Parietal cells</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gastric_chief_cell" title="Gastric chief cell">Gastric chief cells</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Enterochromaffin-like_cell" title="Enterochromaffin-like cell">Enterochromaffin-like cells</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Gastrointestinal_tract#Lower_gastrointestinal_tract" title="Gastrointestinal tract">Lower</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Small_intestine" title="Small intestine">Small intestine</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Microanatomy</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Intestinal_villus" title="Intestinal villus">Intestinal villi</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Microvillus" title="Microvillus">Microvilli</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Intestinal_gland" title="Intestinal gland">Intestinal glands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Enterocyte" title="Enterocyte">Enterocytes</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Enteroendocrine_cell" title="Enteroendocrine cell">Enteroendocrine cells</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Goblet_cell" title="Goblet cell">Goblet cells</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paneth_cell" title="Paneth cell">Paneth cells</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Duodenum" title="Duodenum">Duodenum</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Suspensory_muscle_of_duodenum" title="Suspensory muscle of duodenum">Suspensory muscle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Major_duodenal_papilla" title="Major duodenal papilla">Major duodenal papilla</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Minor_duodenal_papilla" title="Minor duodenal papilla">Minor duodenal papilla</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Duodenojejunal_flexure" title="Duodenojejunal flexure">Duodenojejunal flexure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Brunner%27s_glands" title="Brunner's glands">Brunner's glands</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Jejunum" title="Jejunum">Jejunum</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>No substructures</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Ileum" title="Ileum">Ileum</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ileocecal_valve" title="Ileocecal valve">Ileocecal valve</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peyer%27s_patch" title="Peyer's patch">Peyer's patches</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Microfold_cell" title="Microfold cell">Microfold cells</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Large_intestine" title="Large intestine">Large intestine</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Cecum" title="Cecum">Cecum</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Appendix_(anatomy)" title="Appendix (anatomy)">Appendix</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Large_intestine#Structure" title="Large intestine">Colon</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ascending_colon" title="Ascending colon">Ascending colon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hepatic_flexure" class="mw-redirect" title="Hepatic flexure">Hepatic flexure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Transverse_colon" title="Transverse colon">Transverse colon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Splenic_flexure" class="mw-redirect" title="Splenic flexure">Splenic flexure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Descending_colon" title="Descending colon">Descending colon</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sigmoid_colon" title="Sigmoid colon">Sigmoid colon</a></li> <li>Continuous <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Taenia_coli" title="Taenia coli">taenia coli</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Haustrum_(anatomy)" title="Haustrum (anatomy)">haustra</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Epiploic_appendix" title="Epiploic appendix">epiploic appendix</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Rectum" title="Rectum">Rectum</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Transverse_folds_of_rectum" title="Transverse folds of rectum">Transverse folds</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rectal_ampulla" class="mw-redirect" title="Rectal ampulla">Ampulla</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Anal_canal" title="Anal canal">Anal canal</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Human_anus" title="Human anus">Anus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anal_columns" title="Anal columns">Anal columns</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anal_valves" title="Anal valves">Anal valves</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Anal_sinuses" title="Anal sinuses">Anal sinuses</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pectinate_line" title="Pectinate line">Pectinate line</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Internal_anal_sphincter" title="Internal anal sphincter">Internal anal sphincter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Intersphincteric_groove" class="mw-redirect" title="Intersphincteric groove">Intersphincteric groove</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/External_anal_sphincter" title="External anal sphincter">External anal sphincter</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Gastrointestinal_wall" title="Gastrointestinal wall">Wall</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Serosa</a> / <a href="/wiki/Adventitia" title="Adventitia">Adventitia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Subserosa" title="Subserosa">Subserosa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Muscular_layer" title="Muscular layer">Muscular layer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Submucosa" title="Submucosa">Submucosa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Circular_folds" title="Circular folds">Circular folds</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mucous_membrane" title="Mucous membrane">Mucosa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Muscularis_mucosae" title="Muscularis mucosae">Muscularis mucosa</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Anatomy_of_the_lower_respiratory_tract" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Lower_respiratory_system_anatomy" title="Template:Lower respiratory system anatomy"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Lower_respiratory_system_anatomy" title="Template talk:Lower respiratory system anatomy"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Lower_respiratory_system_anatomy" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Lower respiratory system anatomy"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Anatomy_of_the_lower_respiratory_tract" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Anatomy of the <a href="/wiki/Respiratory_tract" title="Respiratory tract">lower respiratory tract</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Respiratory_tract#Respiratory_tree" title="Respiratory tract">Respiratory tree</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Trachea" title="Trachea">Trachea</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Tracheal_rings" class="mw-redirect" title="Tracheal rings">Tracheal rings</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trachea" title="Trachea">Annular ligaments</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Carina_of_trachea" title="Carina of trachea">Carina</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Bronchus" title="Bronchus">Bronchi</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>Main <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bronchus#Structure" title="Bronchus">left</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bronchus" title="Bronchus">right</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bronchus" title="Bronchus">Secondary</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Eparterial_bronchus" title="Eparterial bronchus">eparterial</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bronchus#Structure" title="Bronchus">Tertiary</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Human_lung" class="mw-redirect" title="Human lung">Lungs</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">General</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>Landmarks <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Base_of_lung" class="mw-redirect" title="Base of lung">Base</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Apex_of_lung" class="mw-redirect" title="Apex of lung">Apex</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Root_of_the_lung" title="Root of the lung">Root</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hilum_of_lung" class="mw-redirect" title="Hilum of lung">Hilum</a></li></ul></li> <li>Fissures <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Horizontal_fissure_of_right_lung" class="mw-redirect" title="Horizontal fissure of right lung">Horizontal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Oblique_fissure" class="mw-redirect" title="Oblique fissure">Oblique</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Superior_lobe" class="mw-redirect" title="Superior lobe">Superior lobe</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lingula_of_left_lung" class="mw-redirect" title="Lingula of left lung">Lingula of left lung</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Middle_lobe_of_right_lung" class="mw-redirect" title="Middle lobe of right lung">Middle lobe of right lung</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Left_lung#Lobes" class="mw-redirect" title="Left lung">Inferior lobe</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Bronchopulmonary_segment" title="Bronchopulmonary segment">BP segment</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Bronchiole" title="Bronchiole">Bronchiole</a>: <a href="/wiki/Conducting_zone" class="mw-redirect" title="Conducting zone">Conducting zone</a> (<a href="/wiki/Terminal_bronchiole" class="mw-redirect" title="Terminal bronchiole">Terminal bronchiole</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Respiratory_zone" class="mw-redirect" title="Respiratory zone">Respiratory zone</a> (<a href="/wiki/Respiratory_bronchiole" class="mw-redirect" title="Respiratory bronchiole">Respiratory bronchiole</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alveolar_duct" class="mw-redirect" title="Alveolar duct">Alveolar duct</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pulmonary_alveolus" title="Pulmonary alveolus">Alveolus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Blood-air_barrier" class="mw-redirect" title="Blood-air barrier">Blood-air barrier</a>)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Cells</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alveolar_cells" class="mw-redirect" title="Alveolar cells">Alveolar cells</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alveolar_cells" class="mw-redirect" title="Alveolar cells">Type I</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alveolar_cells" class="mw-redirect" title="Alveolar cells">Type II</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Club_cell" title="Club cell">Club cell</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Goblet_cell" title="Goblet cell">Goblet cell</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235"></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Anatomy_of_the_peritoneum_and_mesentery" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapsed navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231"><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Peritoneal_anatomy" title="Template:Peritoneal anatomy"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Peritoneal_anatomy" title="Template talk:Peritoneal anatomy"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Peritoneal_anatomy" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Peritoneal anatomy"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Anatomy_of_the_peritoneum_and_mesentery" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em">Anatomy of the <a href="/wiki/Peritoneum" title="Peritoneum">peritoneum</a> and <a href="/wiki/Mesentery" title="Mesentery">mesentery</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">General</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Peritoneum" title="Peritoneum">Peritoneum</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Peritoneal_cavity" title="Peritoneal cavity">cavity</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mesentery" title="Mesentery">Mesentery</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Abdominal</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">From<br />ventral mesentery</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Lesser_omentum" title="Lesser omentum">Lesser omentum</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Hepatoduodenal_ligament" title="Hepatoduodenal ligament">Hepatoduodenal ligament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hepatogastric_ligament" title="Hepatogastric ligament">Hepatogastric ligament</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Liver" title="Liver">Liver</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Coronary_ligament" title="Coronary ligament">Coronary ligament</a> <ul><li>(<a href="/wiki/Left_triangular_ligament" title="Left triangular ligament">Left triangular ligament</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Right_triangular_ligament" title="Right triangular ligament">Right triangular ligament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hepatorenal_ligament" title="Hepatorenal ligament">Hepatorenal ligament</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Falciform_ligament" title="Falciform ligament">Falciform ligament</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Round_ligament_of_liver" title="Round ligament of liver">Round ligament of liver</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ligamentum_venosum" title="Ligamentum venosum">Ligamentum venosum</a></li></ul></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">From<br />dorsal mesentery</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Greater_omentum" title="Greater omentum">Greater omentum</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Gastrophrenic_ligament" title="Gastrophrenic ligament">Gastrophrenic ligament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gastrocolic_ligament" title="Gastrocolic ligament">Gastrocolic ligament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gastrosplenic_ligament" title="Gastrosplenic ligament">Gastrosplenic ligament</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mesentery" title="Mesentery">Mesentery</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Splenorenal_ligament" class="mw-redirect" title="Splenorenal ligament">Splenorenal ligament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Phrenicocolic_ligament" title="Phrenicocolic ligament">Phrenicocolic ligament</a></li></ul> <ul><li>Folds <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Umbilical_folds" title="Umbilical folds">Umbilical folds</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Supravesical_fossa" title="Supravesical fossa">Supravesical fossa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Medial_inguinal_fossa" title="Medial inguinal fossa">Medial inguinal fossa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lateral_umbilical_fold" title="Lateral umbilical fold">Lateral umbilical fold</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lateral_inguinal_fossa" title="Lateral inguinal fossa">Lateral inguinal fossa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ileocecal_fold" title="Ileocecal fold">Ileocecal fold</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Abdominal cavity</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Greater_sac" title="Greater sac">Greater sac</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lesser_sac" title="Lesser sac">Lesser sac</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Omental_foramen" title="Omental foramen">Omental foramen</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">General</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Cystohepatic_triangle" title="Cystohepatic triangle">Cystohepatic triangle</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hepatorenal_recess" title="Hepatorenal recess">Hepatorenal recess</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Abdominal_wall" title="Abdominal wall">Abdominal wall</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Inguinal_triangle" title="Inguinal triangle">Inguinal triangle</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peritoneal_recesses" title="Peritoneal recesses">Peritoneal recesses</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Paracolic_gutters" title="Paracolic gutters">Paracolic gutters</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paramesenteric_gutters" title="Paramesenteric gutters">Paramesenteric gutters</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Urogenital_peritoneum" title="Urogenital peritoneum">Pelvic</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Uterus" title="Uterus">Uterus</a>/<a href="/wiki/Ovary" title="Ovary">ovaries</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Broad_ligament_of_the_uterus" title="Broad ligament of the uterus">Broad ligament of the uterus</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Mesovarium" title="Mesovarium">Mesovarium</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mesosalpinx" title="Mesosalpinx">Mesosalpinx</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mesometrium" title="Mesometrium">Mesometrium</a>)</li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ovarian_ligament" title="Ovarian ligament">Ovarian ligament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Suspensory_ligament_of_ovary" title="Suspensory ligament of ovary">Suspensory ligament of ovary</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Recesses</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>Female <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rectouterine_pouch" title="Rectouterine pouch">Rectouterine pouch</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rectouterine_fold" title="Rectouterine fold">Rectouterine fold</a> (<a href="/wiki/Uterosacral_ligament" title="Uterosacral ligament">Uterosacral ligament</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Vesicouterine_pouch" title="Vesicouterine pouch">Vesicouterine pouch</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ovarian_fossa" title="Ovarian fossa">Ovarian fossa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Paravesical_fossa" title="Paravesical fossa">Paravesical fossa</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Retroperitonium" title="Retroperitonium">Retroperitonium</a></li></ul> <ul><li>Male <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rectovesical_pouch" title="Rectovesical pouch">Rectovesical pouch</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Pararectal_fossa" title="Pararectal fossa">Pararectal fossa</a></li></ul></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Spaces</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Extraperitoneal_space" title="Extraperitoneal space">Extraperitoneal space</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Retroperitoneal_space" title="Retroperitoneal space">Retroperitoneal space</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Retropubic_space" title="Retropubic space">Retropubic space</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><link 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