Body Cavities
Topic outline(25 slides)
• Definition
• Description(Divisions
1-Ventral body cavity(Thoracic cavity, Abdominopelvic
cavity)
2-Dorsal body cavity:(Cranial cavity, Vertebral canal )
Table about relations of various body cavities
Body Membranes:
a) Serous membrane
b) Mucous membrane
• Clinical notes(Spinal meningitis, Abdominal organs
prone to trauma, Pleurisy, peritonitis,)
• The two major body cavities and their
subdivisions:
a. Left lateral view.
b. Frontal view.
Body Cavities and Membranes
• During embryonic development, the body is divided into 2
internal cavities Posterior (dorsal) body cavity and the
anterior (ventral) body cavity.
• Each of these major cavities is then subdivided into smaller
cavities. The cavities, as well as the organs in the cavities
(called the viscera), are lined by membranes.
• Posterior (Dorsal) Body Cavity:
– The posterior body cavity is subdivided into 2 parts:
(1) The cranial cavity, enclosed by the bony cranium, contains the
brain.
(2) The vertebral canal, enclosed by vertebrae, contains the spinal
cord.
– The posterior body cavity is lined by three membranous layers called the
meninges. The most inner of the meninges is tightly bound to the
surface of the brain and the spinal cord. The space between this layer
and the next layer is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
– Clinical Anatomy:
– Spinal meningitis, a serious condition, is an inflammation of the
meninges usually caused by an infection.
Body Cavities
• The ventral body cavities are larger then the
dorsal cavities
Clinical aspect:
Internal organs of the abdominal cavity are
most vulnerable to physical trauma because
the cavity walls are formed by trunk muscle
only
6
Body Membranes
• Serous membrane
• Mucous membrane
Membranes in the Ventral Body Cavity
• The walls of the ventral body cavity and the outer surfaces of the organs it
contains are covered by a thin, double-layered membrane, the serosa, or
serous membrane Serous membrane = serosa, membrane lines a
body cavity that does NOT open to the exterior and it covers
the organs that lie within the cavity.
– Serous membranes, or serosae, cover the inner walls of the ventral
cavity and the outer surfaces of organs
• Serous membranes secrete and are separated by a thin layer of
lubrication fluid called serous fluid, which allows organs to slide
without friction along cavity walls and between each other
– Parietal serosa lines the body cavity walls, and is named for the
specific cavities it is associated with
– Visceral serosa covers the outer surfaces of organs, and is named for
the specific organs it is associated with
• Parietal pericardium lines the pericardial cavity
• Visceral pericardium covers the heart within that cavity
• Parietal pleura lines the walls of the thoracic cavity
• Visceral pleura covers the lungs
• Parietal peritoneum is associated with the walls of the
abdominalpelvic cavity
• Visceral peritoneum covers most of the organs within that cavity
Membranes in the Ventral Body Cavity
• You can visualize the
relationship between the
serosal layers by pushing
your fist into a limp balloon
– The part of the balloon that
clings to your fist can be
compared to the visceral
serosa clinging to the organ’s
external surface
– The outer wall of the balloon
then represents the parietal
serosa that lines the walls of
the cavity
SEROUS MEMBRANE
• Parietal pericardium
lines the pericardial
cavity
• Visceral pericardium
covers the heart within
that cavity
SEROUS MEMBRANE
BODY MEMBRANES
1. Mucous membrane = mucosa; it lines
cavities that open to the exterior, such
as the GI tract.
– The epithelial layer of the
mucous membrane acts as a
barrier to disease organisms.
– The connective tissue layer of the
mucous membrane is called the
lamina propria.
– Found as the lining of the mouth,
vagina, and nasal passage.
BODY MEMBRANES
2. Serous membrane = serosa, membrane
lines a body cavity that does NOT open
to the exterior and it covers the organs
that lie within the cavity.
a. pleura = lungs
b. pericardium = heart
c. peritoneum = abdomen
– The serous membrane has two portions:
1. parietal portion = lining outside the
cavity.
2. visceral portion = covers the organ.
.
BODY MEMBRANES
Thoracic Cavity
• The thoracic cavity is enclosed by the rib cage, and has 3
portions: the left, right, and medial portions.
• The medial portion, called the mediastinum, contains the
heart, thymus gland, trachea, esophagus, and other structures.
• The right and left portions of the thoracic cavity contain the
lungs. The lungs are surrounded by a serous membrane called
the pleura.
• The parietal pleura lies next to the thoracic wall, and the
visceral pleura adheres to a lung. In between the two pleura,
the pleural cavity is filled with pleural fluid.
• Similarly, in the mediastinum, the heart is covered by the two-
layered membrane called the pericardium. The visceral
pericardium which adheres to the heart is separated from the
parietal pericardium by a small space called the pericardial
cavity. This small space contains pericardial fluid.
Abdomino-pelvic Cavity
• The abdomino-pelvic cavity has 2 portions:
– Superior abdominal cavity.
– Inferior pelvic cavity.
• The stomach, liver, spleen, gallbladder, and
most of the small and large intestines are in the
abdominal cavity.
• The pelvic cavity contains the rectum, the
urinary bladder, the internal reproductive
organs, and the rest of the large intestine.
• Males have an external extension of the
abdominal wall, called the scrotum, where the
testes are found.
• Many of the organs of the abdominopelvic
cavity are covered by the visceral
peritoneum, while the wall of the
abdominal cavity is lined with the parietal
peritoneum.
• Peritoneal fluid fills the cavity between the
visceral and parietal peritoneum.
• Peritonitis is an inflammation of the
peritoneum, again usually caused by an
infection.
Body Cavities and Membranes
Homeostatic Imbalance
• When serous membranes are inflamed, they
typically produce less lubricating serous fluid
– This leads to excruciating pain as the organs stick
together and drag across one another, as anyone
who has experienced pleurisy (inflammation of
the pleurae: thoracic cavity) or peritonitis
(inflammation of the peritoneal: abdominal cavity)
caused by infection
Other Body Cavities
• Oral and digestive cavities are continuous cavities that
extend from the mouth through the digestive system to
the anus
• Nasal cavity is within and posterior to the nose
– Part of the respiratory system
• Orbital cavities (orbits) in the skull house the eyes
• Middle ear cavities are within the skull just medial to the
eardrums, and house the bones that transmit sound
vibrations to the inner ears
• Synovial cavities are joint cavities
– Enclosed within fibrous capsules that surround
movable joints (elbow and knee)
– Lined with a lubricating fluid-secreting membranes
• Secrete a lubricating fluid that reduces friction as
the bones move across one another
Other Body Cavities
• Oral cavity
• Nasal cavity
• Orbital cavities
• Middle ear cavities
• Synovial cavities
Medical Imaging
• X-ray (radiograph)
• CT scan: computerized tomography
• Sonography (ultrasound imaging)
• MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging
IMAGING
