Mucous membrane
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| {{{Name}}} | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| LAYERS: serosa longitudinal muscle myenteric plexus circular muscle submucosal plexus submucosal mucosal |
|
 |
|
| Section of the human esophagus. Moderately magnified. The section is transverse and from near the middle of the gullet. a. Fibrous covering. b. Divided fibers of longitudinal muscular coat. c. Transverse muscular fibers. d. Submucous or areolar layer. e. Muscularis mucosae. f. Mucous membrane, with vessels and part of a lymphoid nodule. g. Stratified epithelial lining. h. Mucous gland. i. Gland duct. m’. Striated muscular fibers cut across. |
|
| Dorlands/Elsevier | t_22/12831913 |
The mucous membranes (or mucosae; singular: mucosa) are linings of ectodermic origin, covered in epithelium, and are involved in absorption and secretion. They line various body cavities that are exposed to the external environment and internal organs. It is at several places continuous with skin: at the nostrils, the lips, the ears, the genital area, and the anus. The sticky, thick fluid secreted by the mucous membranes and gland is termed mucus. The term 'mucous membrane' refers to where they are found in the body and not every mucous membrane secretes mucus.
Body cavities featuring mucous membrane include most of the respiratory system. The glans penis (head of the penis) and the inside of the prepuce (foreskin) is mucous membrane, not skin.
Contents |
[edit] Components
- Epithelium
- Lamina propria
- Smooth muscle/Muscularis mucosa/ (GI tract)
[edit] Types of mucosa (incomplete)
- Buccal mucosa
- Gastric mucosa
- Intestinal mucosa
- Olfactory mucosa
- Oral mucosa
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Dictionary at eMedicine mucosa
- Organology at UC Davis Digestive/mammal/system1/system4 - "Mammal, whole system (LM, Low)"
- MeSH Mucous+Membrane
 |
This anatomy article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
