serosa
Slippery organ coat
Serosa is the smooth, moist membrane that lines body cavities and covers internal organs—the pleura around the lungs, the pericardium around the heart, the peritoneum lining the abdomen.
It secretes a thin fluid that reduces friction as organs move against each other.
The adjective form is serosal.
Membrane lining the abdomen
- pleuraMembrane around lungs
- pericardiumMembranous cardiac enclosure
- mesenteryTissue suspending intestines internally
- visceralArising from deep instinct
parietal · abdominal · thoracic · peritoneal · cavity · tunica · membrane · body cavity
Protective tissue response
- ascitesAbdominal cavity fluid accumulation
- effusionUnrestrained emotional discharge
- adhesionState of clinging fast
- peritonitisAbdominal lining inflammation
pleuritis · pericarditis · transudate · exudate · fibrosis · metastasis · mesothelioma · empyema
Coating to reduce friction
- secretionSubstance released by glands
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- smooth surfacePlane without irregularities
- slipperyLacking friction, hard-to-grasp
protective barrier · cushioning · moisture · surface tension
Tissue covering body surfaces
- connective tissueSupportive biological matrix
- basement membraneExtracellular matrix beneath epithelia
- submucosaTissue beneath mucosal layer
- mucosaMoist organ lining
peritoneum
Membrane lining the abdomen
- pleuraMembrane around lungs
- pericardiumMembranous cardiac enclosure
- mesenteryTissue suspending intestines internally
visceral · parietal · abdominal · thoracic · peritoneal · cavity · tunica · membrane · body cavity · mediastinal
inflammation
Protective tissue response
- ascitesAbdominal cavity fluid accumulation
- effusionUnrestrained emotional discharge
- adhesionState of clinging fast
peritonitis · pleuritis · pericarditis · transudate · exudate · fibrosis · metastasis · mesothelioma · empyema · hemorrhage
lubrication
Coating to reduce friction
- secretionSubstance released by glands
- glidingEngineless aerial movement
- smooth surfacePlane without irregularities
slippery · protective barrier · cushioning · moisture · surface tension
epithelium
Tissue covering body surfaces
- connective tissueSupportive biological matrix
- basement membraneExtracellular matrix beneath epithelia
- submucosaTissue beneath mucosal layer
- anatomybrain, heart, bones, liver, stomach
- bladdermucosa, submucosa, muscularis, apex, fundus
- colorectalcolon, rectum, anus, cecum, caecum
- epitheliumepithelium, squamous, columnar, stratified, simple
- gut anatomyintestine, intestines, bowel, bowels, gut
- serosaperitoneum, pericardium, pleura, parietal peritoneum, visceral pleura