By the broadest definition, a body cavity is any fluid-filled space in a multicellular organism. However, the term usually refers to the space located between an animal’s outer covering (epidermis), and the outer lining of the gut cavity, where internal organs develop. "The human body cavity", normally refers to the ventral body cavity, because it is by far the largest one in volume.
Read more about Body Cavity: Grouping, Coelom, Pseudocoelom, No Coelom (Acoelomate)
Other articles related to "body, body cavity, cavity":
... The human body consists of the following body cavities dorsal body cavity cranial cavity, enclosed by the skull and contains the brain spinal canal, enclosed by the spine and contains the spinal cord ... ventral body cavity thoracic cavity, enclosed by the ribcage and contains the lungs and heart ... abdominopelvic cavity abdominal cavity, enclosed by the ribcage and pelvis and contains the kidneys, ureters, stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas pelvic cavity ...
... The outer surface of the body wall consists of a simple columnar epithelium covered by a thin cuticle ... muscle, and a peritoneum surrounding the body cavity ... In most species, the body cavity is divided into separate compartments by sheets of peritoneum between each segment, but in some species, it is more continuous ...
... Lacking a fluid filled body cavity presents some serious disadvantages ... Fluids do not compress, while the tissue surrounding the organs of these animals will compress ...
... The body cavity is known as a "pseudocoel", or haemocoel ... As the name haemocoel suggests, the body cavity is filled with a blood-like liquid, in which all the organs are embedded in this way, they can be easily supplied with nutrients circulating in the blood ... is not known whether the rear end is open or closed, from the front, it opens directly into the body cavity ...
Famous quotes containing the word body:
“Can it then be doubted, but that God, who is infinitely fine Spirit, and withal intelligent, can make and change all species and kind of body as he pleaseth? But I dare not say, that this is the way by which God Almighty worketh, because it is past my apprehension: yet it serves very well to demonstrate, that the omnipotence of God implieth no contradiction.”
—Thomas Hobbes (1579–1688)