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Anatomy & Physiology: Body Cavities, Organs & Membranes

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  • What are body cavities?

    Enclosed spaces that house and protect organs.

  • Name the two main body cavities.

    Dorsal body cavity and ventral body cavity.

  • What organs are housed in the dorsal body cavity?

    The cranial cavity houses the brain and the vertebral cavity houses the spinal cord.

  • What are the subdivisions of the ventral body cavity?

    Thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, and pelvic cavity.

  • What organs are found in the thoracic cavity?

    The pericardial cavity contains the heart and the pleural cavity contains the lungs.

  • What organs are housed in the pelvic cavity?

    The urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum.

  • What tissue types do organs consist of?

    Organs consist of two or more tissue types, often all four: epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissue.

  • What are membranes composed of?

    Membranes consist of one or two tissue types: connective tissue with or without epithelial tissue attached.

  • What is the function of membranes?

    They line inner and outer surfaces of the body and its organs.

  • Where are mucous membranes found?

    They line cavities of organs that open directly to the body exterior, such as digestive, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive systems.

  • What are the two layers of mucous membranes?

    An epithelial layer in contact with the lumen and a lamina propria connective tissue layer.

  • Describe the epithelial layer of mucous membranes.

    Avascular and often contains goblet cells that secrete mucus.

  • What is the lamina propria?

    A loose areolar connective tissue layer that is vascular and nourishes the epithelial cells of mucous membranes.

  • Where are serous membranes located?

    They line closed body cavities that do not open to the exterior, such as thoracic and abdominal cavities.

  • What are the two layers of serous membranes?

    Parietal layer against the cavity wall and visceral layer against the organ.

  • What fluid do serous membranes secrete and why?

    They secrete serous fluid into the serous cavity to reduce friction and allow smooth organ movement.

  • Name the serous membranes by location.

    Pericardium (heart), pleura (lungs), and peritoneum (abdominal organs).

  • What are synovial membranes and where are they found?

    Membranes made of areolar connective tissue only, found in joints, with no epithelium.

  • Why are synovial membranes not considered organs?

    Because they consist of only one tissue type (connective tissue) and lack epithelium.

  • What composes the cutaneous membrane?

    The skin, with an epithelium of stratified squamous called the epidermis and connective tissue of areolar and dense irregular called the dermis.