mucosa
Meaning of mucosa: Mucosa is the moist membrane lining internal passages and cavities such as the mouth, gut, and airways, often producing protective mucus.
Definition of mucosa
Mucosa, also called mucous membrane, is the moist tissue that lines many of the body's internal passages and cavities, including the mouth, nose, airways, stomach, intestines, and portions of the reproductive and urinary tracts. It consists of a layer of epithelial cells resting on supporting connective tissue.
Glands within the mucosa produce mucus, a thick, slippery fluid that keeps the surface moist, traps particles and microorganisms, and helps protect the underlying tissue from irritation, friction, and, in the digestive tract, exposure to digestive acids and enzymes.
Because the mucosa forms a continuous protective surface exposed to the external environment or to substances passing through the body, it is often the first tissue affected by infection, irritation, or inflammation in the organs it lines, and its appearance during endoscopy or biopsy provides useful information about the health of the structure involved.
Also known as
Used in a sentence
Endoscopy revealed inflammation of the gastric mucosa.
Good to know
Because the mucosa lines so many different organs, a finding described simply as mucosal inflammation or irritation requires knowing the specific organ involved before its significance can be judged.
Word origin
Where “mucosa” comes from
Formed from Latin mucus, meaning slime, describing the moist secretion characteristic of this tissue.