The pleural fluid

Question

The pleural fluid

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The pleural fluid is found between the visceral (pulmonary) pleura covering the lungs and the parietal pleura lining the chest wall. Its primary function is to reduce friction between these surfaces during breathing, allowing the lungs to slide smoothly while maintaining a close adherence to the chest wall, facilitating lung expansion and contraction. It does not line the airways, is not the same as the interstitial fluid (ISF) of the lungs, does not lie between the parietal and pulmonary pleura (since the pulmonary pleura is another term for the visceral pleura), and its pressure is typically negative relative to atmospheric pressure, not more positive than alveolar air, to keep the lungs inflated.

The Pleural Fluid