peritoneum

peritoneum, large membrane in the abdominal cavity that connects and supports internal organs. It is composed of many folds that pass between or around the various organs. Two folds are of primary importance: the omentum, which hangs in front of the stomach and intestine; and the mesentery, which attaches the small intestine and much of the large intestine to the posterior abdominal cavity. The omentum and mesentery contain blood vessels, nerves, lymph nodes, fat, elastic...