A thin musculomebranous barrier that separates the abdominal and thoracic cavities. Often used for breathing control. [ MP:0002279 ]
Synonyms: diaphragm of thorax diaphragm muscle thoracic diaphragm
Term information
- OpenCyc:Mx4rvVivz5wpEbGdrcN5Y29ycA
- UMLS:C0011980 (ncithesaurus:Diaphragm)
- Wikipedia:Thoracid_diaphragm
- CALOHA:TS-0198
- EV:0100376
- MESH:D003964
- EMAPA:17701
- SCTID:181614006
- EFO:0000937
- BTO:0000341
- VHOG:0000713
- NCIT:C12702
- EHDAA2:0003495
- MAT:0000502
- MA:0001904
- FMA:13295
- GAID:158
uberon_slim, efo_slim, pheno_slim, organ_slim
The diaphragm is a skeletal muscle that is responsible for contraction and expansion of the lungs[GO].
The mammals are characterized by a diaphragm, which separates the thoracic portion of the body cavity from the abdominal region and assists in drawing air into the lungs and forcing it out. Modern reptiles lack a muscular diaphragm and it is reasonable to suppose that the diaphragm developed as a new device that made possible a large degree of oxygen intake for active animals. The change may have taken place during the transition from reptile to mammal (...).[well established][VHOG]
The urochordate epicardium separates digestive organs from the pharynx and heart, but the anus returns to the upper compartment to discharge wastes through an outgoing siphon (Thoracic_diaphragm#Comparative_anatomy_and_evolution)
The existence of some membrane separating the pharynx from the stomach can be traced widely among the chordates. Thus amphioxus possesses an atrium by which water exits the pharynx, which has been argued (and disputed) to be homologous to structures in ascidians and hagfishes.[3]
barrier between thoracic and abdominal cavities; stop gastric contents from refluxing into the oesophagus
breathing control
Term relations
- thoracic segment muscle
- respiratory system muscle
- immediate transformation of some future diaphragm
- only in taxon some Mammalia
- innervated_by some phrenic nerve