Figure 1:

Innervation of the peritoneum.

The parietal peritoneum (green) is innervated by somatic and visceral afferent nerves and receives sensitive branches from the lower intercostal nerves and from the upper lumbar nerves. The diaphragm is innervated by the phrenic nerves (center) and by the lower intercostal nerves (periphery). The visceral peritoneum (VP) itself is not innervated, but the sub-mesothelial tissue is innervated by the autonomous nerve system (sympathetic: red; parasympathetic: blue). The visceral sub-mesothelium also receives fibers from the vagal nerve, in addition to the spinal nerves. CP: celiac plexus. SMP: superior mesenteric plexus. IMP: inferior mesenteric plexus.