5 Types of Membranes in Human body

Human Body Membranes 
Membranes line the internal spaces of organs and tubes that open to the outside, and they also line the body cavi­ties.
Mucous Membranes 
Mucous membranes line the interior walls of the organs and tubes that open to the outside of the body, such as those of the digestive, respiratory, urinary, and reproductive systems. These membranes consist of an epithelium overlying a layer of connective tissue. The epithelium contains goblet cells that secrete mucus.
The mucus secreted by mucous membranes ordinarily protects interior walls from invasion by bacteria and viruses; hence, more mucus is secreted when a person has a cold and has to blow his or her nose. In addition, mucus usually protects the walls of the stomach and small intes­tine from digestive juices, but this protection breaks down when a person develops an ulcer.
Serous Membranes 
Serous membranes line cavities, including the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities, and cover internal organs like the heart. The term parietal (pah-ri'e-tal) refers to the wall of the body cavity, while the term visceral (vis'er-al) pertains to the internal organs. Therefore, parietal membranes line the interior of the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities, and visceral membranes cover the organs.
Serous membranes consist of a layer of simple squa­mous epithelium overlying a layer of connective tissue. They secrete a watery fluid that keeps the membranes lu­bricated. Serous membranes support the internal organs and tend to compartmentalize the large thoracic and ab­dominopelvic cavities. This helps to hinder the spread of any infection.
In the thorax, the pleural membranes are serous membranes that line the thoracic cavity and then double back to cover the lungs. The parietal pleura lines the thoracic walL while the visceral pleura adheres to the surface of the lungs. A well-known infection of these mem­branes is called pleurisy. A serous membrane is part of the pericardium, a covering for the heart.
In the abdomen, the interior wall and organs are lined by a serous membrane called the peritoneum (per"i-to­ne'um). The parietal peritoneum lines the abdominopelvic cavity, and the visceral peritoneum covers the organs. The peritoneum comes together to form a double-layered mesentery (mes'en-ter"e) that supports the visceral organs. The greater omentum is a double-layered peritoneum that covers the intestines, and the lesser omentum is a double­layered peritoneum that runs between the stomach and the liver.
Peritonitis is an infection of the peritoneum. Peritonitis is likely if an inflamed appendix bursts before it removed.
Synovial Membranes 
Synovial (sl-no've-al) membranes line freely movable joint cavities and are composed of connective tissues, They secrete synovial fluid into the joint cavity; this fluid lubri­cates the ends of the bones so that they can move freely. In rheumatoid arthritis, the synovial membrane becomes in­flamed and grows thicker. Fibrous tissue then invades the joint and may eventually become bony so that the bones of the joint are no longer capable of moving.
Meninges 
The meninges (me'-nin jez) are membratnes found within th dorsal caivty? They are composed only of con­nective tissue and serve as a protective covering for the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis is a life-threatening infec­tion of the meni nges.
Cutaneous Membrane 
The cutaneous (ku-ta'ne-us) membrane, or skin, forms the outer covering of the body. It consists of a thin outer layer of stratified squamous epithelium attached to a thicker un­derlying layer of connective tissue.

Posted in Human Anatomy and Physiology