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Serous pericardium

Serous pericardium

A transverse section of the thorax, showing the contents of the middle and the posterior mediastinum. The pleural and pericardial cavities are exaggerated since normally there is no space between parietal and visceral pleura and between pericardium and heart.
Latin	pericardium serosum
Dorlands/Elsevier	p_12/12626540

The serous pericardium is deeper than the fibrous pericardium. It contains two layers, both of which function in lubricating the heart to prevent friction from occurring during heart activity:

The layer next to the fibrous pericardium is the parietal layer.
The layer deep to the fibrous pericardium is the visceral layer.^[1] When this layer comes into contact with the heart (not the great vessels), it is known as the epicardium.

Additional recommended knowledge

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Together these two layers form a continuous uninterrupted membrane. Between these two layers exists a small cavity called the pericardial cavity, which contains a supply of serous fluid. The serous fluid that is found in this space is known as the pericardial fluid.

References

^ 80740413 at GPnotebook

v • d • e Anatomy of torso, cardiovascular system: heart
Structures	atria (interatrial septum, musculi pectinati) • ventricles (interventricular septum, trabeculae carneae, chordae tendinae, papillary muscle) • valves • cusps
Regions	base • apex • grooves (coronary/atrioventricular, interatrial, anterior interventricula, posterior interventricular) • surfaces (sternocostal, diaphragmatic) • borders (right, left)
Right heart	(vena cavae, coronary sinus) → right atrium (auricle, fossa ovalis, limbus of fossa ovalis, crista terminalis, valve of the inferior vena cava, valve of the coronary sinus) → tricuspid valve → right ventricle (conus arteriosus, moderator band/septomarginal trabecula) → pulmonary valve → (pulmonary artery and pulmonary circulation)
Left heart	(pulmonary veins) → left atrium (auricle) → mitral valve → left ventricle → aortic valve (aortic sinus) → (aorta and systemic circulation)
Layers	pericardium: fibrous pericardium • serous pericardium (pericardial cavity, epicardium/visceral layer) • pericardial sinus myocardium • endocardium • cardiac skeleton (fibrous trigone, fibrous rings)
Conduction system	Cardiac pacemaker • SA node • AV node• bundle of His • Purkinje fibers