The key difference between the pleura and the peritoneum lies in their location and the organs they cover.
| Feature | Pleura | Peritoneum |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Lines the pleural cavity | Lines the abdominal cavity |
| Coverage | Surrounds the lungs | Surrounds abdominal organs (e.g., stomach, intestines, liver) |
| Definition | The serous membrane which forms the lining of the pleural cavity. | The serous membrane covering the abdominal cavity. |
| Relative Size | Smaller | Larger (the abdominal cavity is the largest serous cavity) |
According to our reference, the pleura is the serous membrane which forms the lining of the pleural cavity and the peritoneum is the serous membrane covering the abdominal cavity. The abdominal cavity is the largest serous cavity of the human body, followed by both pleural cavities. This means the peritoneum covers a significantly larger area and a greater number of organs compared to the pleura.
