Pleura

The **pleura** is a double-layered serous membrane essential to the functioning of the human respiratory system. It consists of two sacs: the **visceral pleura**, which directly covers each lung, and the **parietal pleura**, which lines the inner surfaces of the chest wall, diaphragm, and mediastinum[1][3][7][9]. A thin layer of pleural fluid between the layers allows the lungs to glide smoothly against the chest wall during breathing, preventing friction and providing protection[3][7]. While not a molecular target, the pleura is involved in major pathological processes such as pleurisy, pleural effusions, and the aggressive cancer known as malignant pleural mesothelioma, often related to asbestos exposure[6][8][4]. Pleura is **not** a therapeutic target by standard pharmacological or molecular criteria; thus, this entry is marked as **incorrect** for a target/receptor query.

Other names

Visceral pleuraParietal pleuraPleural membrane