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Ventral Body Cavity
The ventral body cavity is the second large cavity within the axial portion of the body. It is more anterior and larger than the dorsal body cavity. Within the ventral body cavity there are two major subdivisions, the thoracic activity and the abdominopelvic cavity. The ventral body cavity protects internal organs called the viscera, or visceral organs. The thoracic cavity is surrounded by the ribs and muscles of the chest. It is divided by lateral pleural cavities, each housing a lung, and the medial mediastinum. The mediastinum has the pericardial cavity, which enclose the heart, and it surrounds the remaining thoracic organs, including the esophagus, trachea, and more. The abdominopelvic cavity, a dome shaped muscle important in breathing has two parts. The abdominal cavity is the superior portion which contains the stomach, intestines, spleen, liver, and other organs. The pelvic cavity, the inferior part, lies in the pelvis, and contains the bladder, a few reproductive organs, and the rectum.