What is pleura and its function?

What is pleura and its function?

Listen to pronunciation. (PLOOR-uh) A thin layer of tissue that covers the lungs and lines the interior wall of the chest cavity. It protects and cushions the lungs.

Which are functions of the pleura and the pleural fluid?

The function of the pleura is to allow optimal expansion and contraction of the lungs during breathing. The pleural fluid acts as a lubricant, allowing the parietal and visceral pleura to glide over each other friction free. This fluid is produced by the pleural layers themselves.

What type of tissue is pleura?

The pleura consists of a visceral and parietal layer that is composed of a continuous surface epithelium of mesothelial cells and underlying connective tissue. The visceral pleura covers the lungs and interlobar fissures, whereas the parietal pleura lines the ribs, diaphragm, and mediastinum.

What is the main function of the pleural membranes?

The primary function of the pleural membrane is to separate the two lungs in the human body. It provides a barrier to help keep the two lungs away from each other while remaining air tight, so if one lung is punctured or collapses due to an accident, the other pleural cavity will still be air tight, meaning the other lung will still work normally.

What are the organs of the pleural cavity?

Pleural cavity: The pleural cavity is located inside the chest area and is the space that contains the lungs, pleura, pleural space, and pleural fluid.

What is the medical term for air in the pleural cavity?

The presence of air inside the pleural cavity is defined as pneumothorax. During the past, the air was injected into the pleural cavity for the treatment of tuberculosis. This was called the artificial pneumothorax .

What is the definition of pleural cavity?

[edit on Wikidata] The pleural cavity also known as the pleural space, is the thin fluid-filled space between the two pulmonary pleurae (known as visceral and parietal) of each lung. A pleura is a serous membrane which folds back onto itself to form a two-layered membranous pleural sac.