Peritoneum

In higher vertebrates, the peritoneum is the serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity - it covers most of the intra-abdominal organs. The corresponding serous membranes in the pleural and pericardial cavities of the thorax are called the pleura and the pericardium respectively.

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The peritoneum consists of two layers: the outer layer, called the parietal peritoneum, is attached to the abdominal wall and the inner layer, the visceral peritoneum, is wrapped around the internal organs that are located inside the abdominal cavity. The potential space between these two layers is the peritoneal cavity; it is filled with a small amount (about 50 ml) of slippery fluid that allows the two layers to slide freely over each other.

Serous membrane: A serous membrane is a very thin layer of cells (usually one row) covering internal body cavity. The cells constituting this membrane secrete a serous fluid to the membrane's surface, which keeps the membrane moistened....

Abdominal cavity: The abdominal cavity is the cavity of the human body (and other animal bodies) that holds the bulk of the viscera and which is located below (or posterior to) the thoracic cavity....

Thorax: The thorax is a division of an animal's body that lies between the head and the abdomen....