Before heading to the in-depth understanding of what mesothelioma is, its cause, treatment and other factors, we shall study in this article what mesothelium is and how important it is for the organs inside the human body.    

We all know that skin is the largest organ in human body and it covers and protects us externally. In the same way, mesothelium is a non-adhesive slippery double layered cell membrane that runs along various body cavities and organs within the human body. One layer of mesothelium packs around the organs while the other one forms a sac like lining covering the first layer, and a lubricating liquid flows in between those layers for easy gliding. This allows heart to easily glide over surrounding organs during heartbeat and lungs while breathing. Basically these cells line the thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity and the heart sac biologically termed as the pericardium and act as protective layer. 

In this picture, we can observe the mesothelium lining. A thin layer formed on the walls of artery and veins

Role of mesothelium:

1)   Help in movement of various fluids across the serosal cavity.

2)   Repairing of tissues and inflammation

3)   Protection of internal organs

4)   Mesothelium helps in lubrication and thereby allows easy movement of organs like the lungs during breathing. 

If the mesothelium cell lining gets slightly damaged, the mesothelial cells are automatically transported from the side edges of the lesion to the center of the wound. This portion gets healed. On the other end, if membrane repair doesn't occur then it leads to formation of fibrous serosal adhesions between the organ and the body wall which in turn disrupts the normal abdominal movement due to intrathoracic impediment. Malignant mesothelioma is caused by the tumor formed by complete change in the structure of mesothelial cells at the pleura.