The pleura refers to the layers of serous membranes that cover the lungs.

Figure 1. The thoracic wall and the pleura of the lungs (Credit: OpenStax, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Description

The pleura of the lung is very similar to the serous pericardium; it consists of visceral (shiny) and parietal layers, with nothing but serous fluid in between.

The parts of the pleura are named after the surfaces they face:

  1. Diaphragmatic part
  2. Costal part
  3. Pericardial (or medisatinal) part
  4. Cupula pleura (or cervical) part

Both visceral and parietal pleura are continuous with each other at the hilum — pulmonary ligament.

Figure 2. Pleura of the

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