HISTOLOGY OF THE STOMACH,SMALL INTESTINES, AND LARGE INTESTINES 1D BATCH 2020

Histology of the Stomach, Small intestines, and Large Major Layers of the GIT
intestines 1. Mucosa
A. Epithelial lining
Grace Mendoza-Bardelosa, MD, FPDS
Stratified squamous nonkeratinized (e.g. esophagus)
Simple columnar (stomach- large intestine)

Stomach- only who has no goblet cells

Goblet cells-as you descend down going into the
rectum, it increase in number
B. Lamina propria
– LCTs, BVs, lymphatics, lymphocytes,
SM cells, small glands
C. Muscularis mucosae
– Thin layer of SM
– Separates mucosa from submucosa
– Allows local movements of mucosa
2. Submucosa
• Dense connective tissue
• BVs, LVs
• Meissner’s plexus of autonomic nerves- for
local movements of both mucosa and
submucosa
• Glands
• Lymphoid Tissue

3. Muscularis
• Two or more sublayers of SMs
• ICOL- for peristalsis
• CT between contains BVs, LVs
• Myenteric/ Auerbach’s nerve plexus
• Enteric Nervous System of the digestive tract:
Myenteric + Meissner’s

4. Serosa
• LCT
• BVs, LVs, adipose
• Mesothelium – simple squamous
• Continuous with mesenteries (organs is
floating, not attached to any structure)

Adventitia
Alimentary canal- from oral cavity down to the anus • Digestive tract not suspended in a cavity
- the canal where food passes • Bound directly to adjacent structures
• CT layer that merges with surrounding tissue
• Lacks mesothelium

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 HISTOLOGY OF THE STOMACH,SMALL INTESTINES, AND LARGE INTESTINES 1D BATCH 2020

STOMACH Gastric and Duodenal Ulcers

• Painful erosive lesions of the mucosa
Functions: (“gasgas”)- common in people who do not eat
– Continue digestion of carbohydrates on time
– Production of chyme • Between lower esophagus and jejunum
– Begin digestion of triglycerides = lipase • Causes:
– Initial digestion of proteins – Infection with Helicobacter pylori
– Effects of NSAIDs (especially female
suffering from dysmenorrhea)
– Overproduction of HCl or pepsin
– Lowered production or secretion of
mucus or bicarbonate
1. Mucosa
A. Lining epithelium
– Simple columnar
B. Deeply invaginates into LP
C. Gastric pits open to lumen

Major Regions
1. Cardia
– Narrow transitional zone
– 1.5-3 cm wide
– Between esophagus and stomach
– Involved with mucous production

2. Pylorus
– Funnel-shaped region
– Opens into the small intestine
– Involved with mucous production

3. Fundus and Body Esophageal-gastric/Gastro-esophageal junction

– Identical microscopically -abrupt change on LE: from SSNKE to
– Sites of gastric glands releasing acidic gastric simple columnar
juice
5 cell of Gastric gland:
Gastric glands- for mucus secretion
1. Surface mucous cells
Rugae – Line lumen and gastric pits
• Large, longitudinally directed folds in an – Thick, adherent, highly viscous mucous
empty stomach – Alkaline fluid containing mucin
• Mucosa and submucosa – Bicarbonate ions
• Flat when full – Protects mucosa
• Food
Rugae are temporary folds, if you are filled up
• Stomach acid
with food it is flatten/ absent, but when you are
hungry, rugae are very obvious

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 HISTOLOGY OF THE STOMACH,SMALL INTESTINES, AND LARGE INTESTINES 1D BATCH 2020

2. Mucous neck cells 3. Muscularis

– Necks of gastric glands – IOMCOL (Inner Oblique; Middle Circular;
– Round nuclei and apical secretory granules Outer Longitudinal)
– Acidic fluid containing mucin – Pylorus: middle thickened to be pyloric
3. Parietal/ Oxyntic cells (parenchyma) sphincter
– Produce HCl, intrinsic factor
– Large rounded or pyramidal (“sunny side up 4. Serosa
eggs”-like)
– One or two central round nuclei
– Highly eosinophilic
4. Chief/ Zymogenic cells
– Predominate in lower regions of gastric glands
– Pepsinogen (with gastric juices, it becomes
pepsin)
• Pepsins initiate hydrolysis of proteins
– Gastric lipase
• Digests lipids
5. Enteroendocrine cells
– Endocrine and paracrine functions
– release hormones: Serotonin and gastrin
Leiomyomas (benign tumor of the smooth muscle) can
also be found in the stomach

SMALL INTESTINE
• Site where digestive processes are completed
• Nutrients are absorbed
• 5 meters
– Duodenum
– Jejunum
– Ileum

2. Submucosa (no glands present)

– CT, large BVs & LVs, lymphoid cells,
macrophages, mast cells

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 HISTOLOGY OF THE STOMACH,SMALL INTESTINES, AND LARGE INTESTINES
Leiomyomas
• Benign tumors of SMs
• Most common in stomach & small intestine
• 50% of >50 years old, muscularis of stomach
1. Mucosa
Plicae circulares
– Permanent circular or semilunar folds
– Consisting of mucosa and submucosa
In tissues, you can identify if it is a small intestineif
you can see the villi, only found in the SI.
Villi
– Covers entire mucosa
– Finger or leaflike projections
– Core of LCT, SM fibers, capillaries
cells, Lacteals
– Covered with simple columnar of
absorptive enterocytes and GCs
Intestinal glands:
SI-can also be called “Crypts of Lieberkühn”
LI-intestinal gland only
Intestinal glands or Crypts of Lieberkühn
– Short tubular glands
• Enterocytes
• Goblet cells
• Paneth cells
• Enteroendocrine cells
• M (microfold) cells
5 cells of LI glands
1. Enterocytes (parenchyma)
– Tall columnar absorptive cells
– Oval nucleus located basally
– 3000 microvilli on each cell
– Microvilli, villi, and plicae circulares all
increase mucosal surface for absorption
– Striated or Brush border
– A layer of densely packed
microvilli covered by glycocalyx
– Nutrients are taken into cells
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1D BATCH 2020
Celiac disease (common among Caucasian)
• SI disorder
• Malabsorption
• Damage or destruction of villi
• Immune reaction against gluten
• Reduced nutrient absorption
2. Goblet cells
– Glycoprotein mucous
– Protect and lubricate lining of the intestine
3. Paneth cells
– Basal por3on of crypts
– Large eosinophilic secretory granules
– Lysozyme, phospholipase A, defensins
• Bind and breakdown membranes of
microorganisms and bacterial cell walls
– Important in innate immunity
Paneth cells
4. Enteroendocrine cells
– Peptide hormones
– Sample certain nutrients in intes3nal lumen to
regulate hormone release
– Control gut motility
– Regulate secretion of enzymes, HCl, bile and
other components for digestion
– Produce the sense of satiety in the brain
5. M (microfold) cells
– Specialized epithelial cells
– Selectively endocytose antigens
– Transport to lymphocytes and dendritic cells,
migrate to LN’s for immune response
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 HISTOLOGY OF THE STOMACH,SMALL INTESTINES, AND LARGE INTESTINES 1D BATCH 2020

A. Lamina propria LARGE INTESTINE

– LCT, BV’s, LV’s, N’s, SM fibers
– Penetrates core of villus

B. Muscularis mucosa
– Produce local movements of plicae
that propel lymph from lacteals

2. Submucosa
– LCTs
– Larger BVs, LVs
– Nerves: Meissner’s plexus
• Parasympathetic ganglion cells
• Supply mucosal cells and smooth
muscles

– Duodenum
• Brunner’s glands
(only found in duodenum)
– Distinctly alkaline
mucous

– Ileum 1. Mucosa
• Peyer’s patches (both A. LE- simple columnar w/ goblet cells
LP and submucosa) • Tubular intestinal glands
– Large lymphoid – Goblet cells
nodular aggregates – Absorptive cells (simple columnar
cells)
3. Muscularis – Enteroendocrine cells
• Inner circular • Columnar cells or colonocytes
• Outer longitudinal – With microvilli & dilated intercellular
• Myenteric or Auerbach’s plexus spaces
-Produce peristalsis – Active fluid absorption
• GCs more numerous
4. Serosa
– Mesothelium continuous with that of B. Lamina propria
mesenteries – Rich in lymphoid nodules
– Extends to submucosa
– Large bacterial population
Colorectal Cancer
• Adenocarcinoma
• Polyps in epithelium of rectum, sigmoid, distal
descending colons
• Low fiber diets
• Prolonged contact of mucosa with fecal toxins
• Sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy
• Fecal occult blood

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 HISTOLOGY OF THE STOMACH,SMALL INTESTINES, AND LARGE INTESTINES 1D BATCH 2020

Other Features
2. Submucosa
– LCT, BV’s, plexuses • Rectoanal junction
– Simple columnar to SSNKE (absence of gland,
3. Muscularis presence of goblet cells)
– ICOL • Anal columns: longitudinal folds of the mucosa and
– Outer longitudinal subdivided into three submucosa
bands of smooth muscles called taenia coli – Include sinuses of rectal venous plexuses
– Intraperitoneal portions covered by serosa • Internal and external anal sphincters
• Small, pendulous protuberances of
adipose tissue Hemorrhoids
• Swollen BVs in mucosa and submucosa of anal
canal
• Increased pressure on BVs
• Causes
– Low fiber diet
– Constipation
– Straining
– Prolonged sitting

Function of Goblet cell in LI:

In large intestines, water is being reabsorbed so there is
lesser wetness. It needs lubrication for fecal matter to pass
through.

RECTO-ANAL JUNCTION

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