serous membrane

(noun)

A thin membrane that secretes serum that lines an internal body cavity, such as the peritoneum, the pericardium, and the pleura.

Related Terms

  • intraperitoneal
  • mesentery
  • peritoneum
  • greater omentum
  • retroperitoneal

Examples of serous membrane in the following topics:

  • Serous Membranes

    • Serous membranes line and enclose serous cavities, where they secrete a lubricating fluid which reduces friction from muscle movement.
    • In anatomy, a serous membrane (or serosa) is a smooth membrane consisting of a thin layer of cells, which secrete serous fluid, and a thin connective tissue layer.
    • The serous cavities are formed from the intraembryonic coelom and are basically an empty space within the body, surrounded by serous membrane.
    • Therefore, each organ becomes surrounded by serous membrane; they do not lie within the serous cavity.
    • Describe the function of the serous membranes in the pericardial, pleural, and peritoneal cavities
  • Serosa

    • In anatomy, the serous membrane (or serosa) is a smooth membrane that consists of a thin connective tissue layer and a thin layer of cells that secrete serous fluid.
    • Serous membranes line and enclose several body cavities, known as serous cavities, where they secrete a lubricating fluid to reduce friction from muscle movements.
    • Each serous membrane is composed of a secretory epithelial layer and a connective tissue layer underneath.
    • The serous cavities are formed from the intraembryonic coelom and are basically an empty space within the body surrounded by a serous membrane.
    • Therefore each organ becomes surrounded by a serous membrane—they do not lie within the serous cavity.
  • The Peritoneum

    • The peritoneum, the serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity, covers most of the intra-abdominal organs.
    • The peritoneum is the serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity or the coelom.
    • It is filled with a small amount of slippery serous fluid that allows the two layers to slide freely over each other.
  • Pericardium

    • The pericardium is a thick, membranous, fluid-filled sac which encloses, protects, and nourishes the heart.
    • The pericardium is the thick, membranous, fluid-filled sac that surrounds the heart and the roots of the vessels that enter and leave this vital organ, functioning as a protective membrane .
    • The pericardium is composed of two layers, an outer fibrous pericardium and an inner serous pericardium.
    • The serous pericardium, the inner layer of the pericardium, is composed of two different layers.
    • The serous pericardium, with its two membranes and the fluid-filled pericardial cavity, provides protection to the heart and a lubricated sliding surface within which the heart can move in response to its own contractions and to the movement of adjacent structures such as the diaphragm and the lungs.
  • Body Cavity Membranes

    • A number of membranes enclose the various organs of the human body.
    • The mesothelium is composed of an extensive monolayer of specialized cells (mesothelial cells) that line the body's serous cavities and internal organs.
    • The arachnoid mater is a thin, transparent membrane.
    • The pia mater is a very delicate membrane.
    • The peritoneum is the serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity or the coelom—it covers most of the intra-abdominal (or coelomic) organs—in amniotes and some invertebrates (annelids, for instance).
  • Peritonitis

    • The peritoneum, colored in blue, is the serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity.
  • Pneumothorax and Hemothorax

    • Its cause is usually traumatic, from a blunt or penetrating injury to the chest, resulting in a rupture of the serous membrane either lining the chest or covering the lungs.
  • Introduction to Osmoregulation

    • Osmoregulation balances concentrations of solutes and water across semi-permeable membranes, maintaining homeostasis.
    • Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a membrane in response to osmotic pressure caused by an imbalance of molecules on either side of the membrane.
    • The membranes of the body (such as the pleural, serous, and cell membranes) are semi-permeable: they allow passage of certain types of solutes and water, but not others.
    • Solutions on two sides of a semi-permeable membrane tend to equalize in solute concentration by movement of solutes and/or water across the membrane.
    • Water movement due to osmotic pressure across membranes may change the volume of these fluid compartments.
  • Histology of the Small Intestine

    • The serosa is a smooth membrane consisting of a thin layer of cells that secrete serous fluid, and a thin layer of connective tissue.
    • Serous fluid is a lubricating fluid that reduces friction from the movement of the muscularis.
    • The muscularis is a region of muscle adjacent to the submucosa membrane.
    • The mucosa is the innermost tissue layer of the small intestines, and is a mucous membrane that secretes digestive enzymes and hormones.
  • Ovarian Cysts

    • A chocolate cyst is an endometrioma, endometrioid cyst, endometrial cyst, or chocolate cyst is caused by endometriosis, and formed when a tiny patch of endometrial tissue (the mucous membrane that makes up the inner layer of the uterine wall) bleeds, sloughs off, becomes transplanted, and grows and enlarges inside the ovaries.
Subjects
  • Accounting
  • Algebra
  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Business
  • Calculus
  • Chemistry
  • Communications
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Microbiology
  • Physics
  • Physiology
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Writing

Except where noted, content and user contributions on this site are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 with attribution required.