Body Cavities and Membranes Quiz

Body Cavities and Membranes

Body Cavities:

• Dorsal Body Cavity is located near the dorsal surface of the body and contains cerebrospinal fluid, brain, and spinal cord.
• It has two subdivisions: cranial cavity (superior) formed by cranial bones and spinal cavity (inferior) formed by vertebral column bones.
• Three layers of protective connective tissue, called meninges, line the dorsal body cavity: dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater.
• Ventral Body Cavity is larger and located toward the front of the body, containing visceral organs.
• It can be divided by diaphragm into two main parts: thoracic cavity (upper) and abdominopelvic cavity (lower).
• Thoracic cavity contains right and left pleural cavities, mediastinum, and pericardial cavity enclosing the heart and great vessels.
• Abdominopelvic cavity is divided into a superior abdominal cavity and an inferior pelvic cavity.
• Abdominal cavity contains viscera, including stomach, spleen, pancreas, liver, gallbladder, small intestine, and most of the large intestine.
• Pelvic cavity contains urinary bladder, portions of large intestine, and internal female and male reproductive structures.

Body Membranes:

• Body membranes are composed of epithelial tissue and connective tissue.
• Epithelial membranes include cutaneous, mucous, and serous membranes.
• Cutaneous membrane is the skin that is composed of keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium with an underlying layer of dense connective tissue.
• Mucous membrane (mucosa) lines all body cavities open to the exterior and is moist, continuously bathed in secretions or urine, and adapted for absorption and secretion.
• Serous membrane (serosa) consists of a simple squamous epithelial layer resting on areolar connective tissue and lines all ventral body cavities closed to the exterior.
• Serous membrane creates a double-lined membrane consisting of a parietal and visceral layer and has serous fluid between two layers to reduce friction and allow viscera to slide somewhat during movements.
• Three locations where serous membranes are present: pleura, pericardium, and peritoneum.