The mesothelium is a membrane that covers & protects most of the internal organs of the body. It consists of four layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a oiling liquid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart & the expanding & contracting lungs) to glide basically against adjoining structures.
The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs & lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers & protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in females
What Is My Diagnosis?
There's four types of mesothelioma. Pleural mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lung (pleura), peritoneal mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the abdominal cavity (peritoneum), & pericardial mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining surrounding the heart (pericardium). Sub-types (or cell types) of mesothelioma are epithelioid (the most common, & thought about the most amenable to treatment), sarcomatous (a way more aggressive form), & biphasic or mixed (a combination of both of the other cell types).
The structural appearance of cells under the microscope choose the cell or sub-type of mesothelioma. Epithelioid is the least aggressive; sarcomatoid, the most aggressive. The biphasic or mixed cell type shows structural elements of both of the other four.
