Structure and Composition of Mucous Membrane
- Mucosa is composed of epithelial cells and connective tissue.
- The type of cells and mucus secreted vary between organs.
- Mucous membranes line the digestive, respiratory, and reproductive tracts.
- The total surface area of the mucosa in an adult human is about 400 square meters.
- Mucous membranes are of endodermal origin, except for certain areas.
Functions of Mucous Membrane
- Mucous membranes keep tissues moist, such as in the respiratory tract.
- They play a role in absorbing and transforming nutrients.
- Mucosa protects the stomach from stomach acid.
- Mucosa lining the bladder protects underlying tissue from urine.
- The uterine mucous membrane is called the endometrium and is eliminated during menstruation.
Nutrition for Mucous Membrane
- Niacin and vitamin A are essential nutrients for maintaining mucous membranes.
Related Concepts
- Alkaline mucus
- Mucin
- Mucociliary clearance
- Mucocutaneous boundary
- Mucosal immunology
References
- Mucous membrane. Encyclopædia Britannica.
- Guyton, Arthur C.; Hall, John E. (2006). Textbook of Medical Physiology, 11th Edition.
- Stuart-Low, William (1905). Mucous Membranes Normal & Abnormal Including Mucin & Malignancy.
- Sompayrac, Lauren (2012). How the Immune System Works, 4th Edition.
- Chapter 25. Germ Layers and Their Derivatives - Review of Medical Embryology Book - LifeMap Discovery.
This article about biology may be excessively human-centric. (May 2022) |
A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It is mostly of endodermal origin and is continuous with the skin at body openings such as the eyes, eyelids, ears, inside the nose, inside the mouth, lips, the genital areas, the urethral opening and the anus. Some mucous membranes secrete mucus, a thick protective fluid. The function of the membrane is to stop pathogens and dirt from entering the body and to prevent bodily tissues from becoming dehydrated.
| Mucous membrane | |
|---|---|
 Histological section taken from the gastric antrum, showing the mucosa of the stomach | |
| Details | |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | tunica mucosa |
| MeSH | D009092 |
| TA98 | A05.4.01.015 A05.3.01.029 A05.5.01.029 A05.6.01.009 A05.6.01.010 A05.7.01.006 A05.7.01.007 A05.8.02.009 A06.1.02.017 A06.2.09.019 A06.3.01.010 A06.4.02.029 A08.1.05.011 A08.2.01.007 A08.3.01.023 A09.1.02.013 A09.1.04.011 A09.2.03.012 A09.3.05.010 A09.3.06.004 A09.4.02.015 A09.4.02.020 A09.4.02.029 A15.3.02.083 |
| Anatomical terms of microanatomy | |
mucous membrane (plural mucous membranes)
