dorsal cavity

Examples of dorsal cavity in the following topics:

• Body Cavities

  • The dorsal cavity is a continuous cavity located on the dorsal side of the body.
  • The meninges is a multi-layered membrane within the dorsal cavity that envelops and protects the brain and spinal cord.
  • The cranial cavity is the anterior portion of the dorsal cavity consisting of the space inside the skull.
  • The vertebral cavity is the posterior portion of the dorsal cavity and contains the structures within the vertebral column.
  • Humans have multiple body cavities, including the cranial cavity, the vertebral cavity, the thoracic cavity (containing the pericardial cavity and the pleural cavity), the abdominal cavity, and the pelvic cavity.

• Development of the Central Nervous System

  • The CNS is contained within the dorsal cavity, with the brain in the cranial cavity and the spinal cord in the spinal cavity.
  • The telencephalon differentiates into, among other things, the striatum, the hippocampus, and the neocortex, and its cavity becomes the first and second ventricles.
  • Diencephalon elaborations include the subthalamus, hypothalamus, thalamus, and epithalamus, and its cavity forms the third ventricle.
  • The tectum, pretectum, cerebral peduncle, and other structures develop out of the mesencephalon, and its cavity grows into the mesencephalic duct (cerebral aqueduct).
  • The metencephalon becomes, among other things, the pons and the cerebellum; the myelencephalon forms the medulla oblongata; and their cavities develop into the fourth ventricle.

• Arteries of the Pelvis and Lower Limbs

  • The abdominal aorta divides into the major arteries of the leg: the femoral, popliteal, tibial, dorsal foot, plantar, and fibular arteries.
  • The pelvic cavity is largely supplied by the paired internal iliac arteries.

• Scapula

  • The scapula also articulates with the humerus of the upper arm forming the shoulder joint, or glenohumeral joint, at the glenoid cavity.
  • Due to its flat nature the scapula presents two surfaces and three borders; the front facing costal surface and the rear facing dorsal surface, as well as the superior, lateral and medial borders.
  • The dorsal surface gives origin to the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles and inferiorly to the teres minor and major.
  • The lateral border is the thickest border of the scapula and extends downwards from the glenoid cavity.
  • Immediately below the glenoid cavity is the infranglenoid tuberosity which is the origin for the long head of the triceps brachii.

• Autonomic Ganglia

  • The dorsal root ganglia lie along the vertebral column by the spine and develop in the embryo from neural crest cells, not neural tube.
  • A dorsal root ganglion (or spinal ganglion) is a nodule on a dorsal root of the spine that contains cell bodies of nerve cells (neurons) that carry signals from sensory organs towards the appropriate integration center.
  • The axons of dorsal root ganglion neurons are known as afferents.
  • Unlike the majority of neurons found in the central nervous system, an action potential in dorsal root ganglion neuron may initiate in the distal process in the periphery, bypass the cell body, and continue to propagate along the proximal process until reaching the synaptic terminal in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord.
  • Preganglionic nerves from the spinal cord synapse end at one of the chain ganglia and the postganglionic fiber extends to an effector, typically a visceral organ in the thoracic cavity.

• Somite Development

  • During the second week of development, the lateral mesoderm splits into a dorsal somatic mesoderm (somatopleure) and a ventral splanchnic mesoderm (splanchnopleure).
  • By the third week of development, this process gives rise to a cavity between the somatopleure and splanchnopleure, which is referred to as the intraembryonic celom.
  • This space later gives rise to both the thoracic and abdominal cavities.
  • The dermatome is the dorsal portion of the paraxial mesoderm somite.
  • Dorsal view of a human embryo.

• Overview of the Axial Skeleton

  • The human skull is a bony structure which supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.
  • The human rib cage, also known as the thoracic cage, is a bony and cartilaginous structure which surrounds the thoracic cavity and supports the pectoral girdle, forming a core portion of the human skeleton.
  • It is situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso, separated by intervertebral discs.

• Ventricles

  • The ventricular system is a set of hollow cavities in the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
  • The ventricular system is a set of four interconnected cavities (ventricles) in the brain and the location of CSF production.
  • The cavities of the cerebral hemispheres are called lateral ventricles, or first and second ventricles.
  • As the future brainstem aspect of the primitive neural tube develops, the neural canal expands dorsally and laterally, creating the fourth ventricle.  

• Uterus

  • The uterus is located inside the pelvis immediately dorsal (and usually somewhat rostral) to the urinary bladder and ventral to the rectum.
  • The uterus is in the middle of the pelvic cavity in frontal plane (due to ligamentum latum uteri).
  • The lining of the uterine cavity is called the endometrium.
  • The perimetrium is the peritoneum covering of the fundus and ventral and dorsal aspects of the uterus.

• Serous Membranes

  • The pericardial cavity (surrounding the heart), pleural cavity (surrounding the lungs), and peritoneal cavity (surrounding most organs of the abdomen) are the three serous cavities within the human body.
  • Serous membranes line and enclose several body cavities, known as serous cavities, where they secrete a lubricating fluid which reduces friction from muscle movement.
  • The pericardial cavity (surrounding the heart), pleural cavity (surrounding the lungs) , and peritoneal cavity (surrounding most organs of the abdomen) are the three serous cavities within the human body .
  • While serous membranes have a lubricative role to play in all three cavities, in the pleural cavity it plays a greater role in the function of breathing.
  • Describe the function of the serous membranes in the pericardial, pleural, and peritoneal cavities