CHAPTER 12 — Digestive System: Esophagus and Stomach 265

the glands merges with the stratified squamous surface epithelium (1a) of the esophagus (see
Figure 12.2). Numerous blood vessels, such as the vein and artery (11), are found in the connec-
THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
tive tissue of the submucosa (3).
Located inferior to the submucosa (3) is the muscularis externa (4), composed of two well-
defined muscle layers, an inner circular muscle layer (4a) and the outer longitudinal muscle layer
(4b), whose muscle fibers are shown here sectioned in a transverse plane.A thin layer of connective tis-
sue (13) lies between the inner circular muscle layer (4a) and the outer longitudinal muscle layer (4b).
The muscularis externa (4) of the esophagus is highly variable in different species. In
humans, the muscularis externa (4) in the upper third of the esophagus consists primarily of stri-
Summary of the Structural Features of the Gastrointestinal Tract
ated skeletal muscles. In the middle third of the esophagus, the inner circular layer (4a) and the
outer longitudinal layer (4b) exhibit a mixture of both smooth muscle and skeletal muscle fibers.
In the lower third of the esophagus, only smooth muscle is present.
1. Esophagus The adventitia (5) of the esophagus consists of a loose connective tissue layer that blends with
the adventitia of the trachea and the surrounding structures. Adipose tissue (14), large blood vessels,
- the mucosa is lined with nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium
artery and vein (15), and nerve fibers (6) are numerous in the connective tissue of the adventitia (5).
- the submucosa contains small mucus-secreting glands, the esophageal glands,

1 Mucosa:
a. Stratified squamous
epithelium 7 Lymphatic nodule

8 Blood vessels in
lamina propria

9 Connective tissue
papillae
b. Lamina propria
10 Excretory ducts of
c. Muscularis mucosae esophageal glands
proper

11 Vein and artery

2 Mucous acini of
esophageal glands
proper

3 Submucosa 12 Adipose tissue

4 Muscularis externa:
a. Inner circular
muscle layer

13 Connective tissue

b. Outer longitudinal
muscle layer

14 Adipose tissue
5 Adventitia

6 Nerve fibers
15 Vein and artery

FIGURE 12.1 Wall of upper esophagus (transverse section). Stain: hematoxylin and eosin. Low magnification.
2. Stomach

The three histologic regions of the stomach are the cardia, the fundus and body, and the pylorus. The fundus and body
constitute the most extensive region in the stomach.
Changing abruptly at the esophagogastric junction (gastroesophageal junction), the mucosal surface of the stomach is
a simple columnar epithelium that invaginates deeply into the lamina propria – these invaginations are called gastric pits,
each with an opening to the stomach lumen. The mucosa of the empty stomach exhibits temporary folds called rugae
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The lamina propria of the esophagus continues into the lamina propria of the stomach where it becomes filled with
gastric glands and diffused lymphatic tissue.
Two distinct cell types can be identified in the gastric glands. The acidophilic parietal cells275
CHAPTER 12 — Digestive System: Esophagus and Stomach
are located in the upper portions of
the glands, whereas the basophilic chief (zymogenic) cells occupy the lower regions.
9 Rugae

⎧ 1 Surface
⎪ epithelium
⎪ 10 Gastric pits
Mucosa ⎨ 2 Lamina 11 Surface
propria
⎪ epithelium
⎪ 3 Muscularis
12 Lamina
⎩ mucosae
propria

⎩
13 Parietal Gastric
⎪
⎪
⎧ cells ⎨gland
⎪ 14 Chief
⎪
⎪
⎪ ⎧
⎪ cells
⎪ 15 Muscularis
⎪ mucosae
4 Submucosa ⎨
⎪ 16 Lymphatic
⎪ nodule
⎪ 17 Collagen
⎪ fibers
⎪
⎩ 18 Arteriole
19 Venule
⎧ 5 Oblique
20 Submucosal
⎪ muscle ⎧
⎪ layer (Meissner's)
⎪ nerve plexus
⎪ ⎪
⎪ 21 Capillaries
⎪
⎪ 6 Circular ⎨
Muscularis ⎪ muscle ⎪
externa ⎨ layer ⎪
⎪ ⎪
⎪ ⎩
⎪
⎧ 22 Myenteric
⎪
⎪ 7 Longitudinal ⎪ (Auerbach's)
⎪ ⎨ nerve plexus
muscle ⎪
⎩ 23 Adipose cells
layer ⎩
8 Serosa
(visceral
peritoneum)
FIGURE 12.8 Stomach: fundus and body regions (transverse section). Stain: hematoxylin and eosin.
Low magnification.
3. Small Intestine - Duodenum

The mucosa of the small intestine exhibits specialized structural modifications, the plicae circulares, villi, and microvilli that
increase the cellular surface areas for absorption of nutrients and fluids.
In contrast to the rugae of stomach, the plicae circulares are permanent spiral folds or elevations of the mucosa (with a
submucosal core) that extend into the intestinal lumen. The plicae circulares are most prominent in the proximal portion of the
small intestine, where most absorption takes place; they decrease in prominence toward the ileum.
Villi are permanent fingerlike projections of lamina propria of the mucosa that extend into the intestinal lumen.
They are covered by simple columnar epithelium with microvilli (ciliated).
Microvilli are cytoplasmic extensions that cover the apices of the intestinal absorptive cells. They are visible under a light
microscope as a striated (brush)316border.
CHAPTER 15 ■ Digestive Tract
Intestinal glands (crypts of Lieberkühn) are located between the villi throughout the small intestine.
Branched duodenal (Brunner’s) glands with mucus-secreting cells in the submucosa characterize this region.
FIGURE 15–22 Absorptive surface of the small intestine.

Enterocyte
(absorbs nutrients)

Circular folds Capillary network

Mucosa Goblet cells

Submucosa
Muscularis
Inner circular layer Lacteal Paneth cells
Outer longitudinal layer (innate immunity)
Circular fold
Serosa
(a) Layers
Intestinal gland
Lymphatic nodule

Intestinal villi
Muscularis mucosae
Venule
Lymph vessel
Submucosa Arteriole

(c) Intestinal villus

Inner circular layer

Muscularis
Serosa Outer longitudinal layer

(b) Section of small intestine

Intestinal lumen
Villi Microvilli
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 coli

15 Outer
longitudinal
muscle layer
16 Inner circular
3. Large Intestine - Colon muscle layer
17 Serosa of
The mucosa consists of simple columnar epithelium which contain contains the absorptive columnar cells and the mesentery
mucus-filled goblet cells (unicellular mucus-secreting glands) 18 Mesentery
In the lamina propria and the submucosa of the colon are lymphatic nodules.
The intestinal glands ( crypts of Lieberkuhn) are deep and straight, and extend through the lamina propria.
FIGURE 13.8 Large intestine: colon and mesentery (panoramic view, transverse section). Stain:
The colon does not have villi or plicae circulares, and the luminal surface of the mucosa is smooth.
hematoxylin and eosin. Low magnification.
In the undistended colon, the mucosa and submucosa exhibit temporary folds.

1 Absorptive
columnar cells

2 Goblet cells
6 Goblet cells

3 Lamina propria

4 Intestinal glands
7 Lymphatic
nodule

8 Muscularis
mucosae

9 Submucosa
5 Lymphatic nodule

FIGURE 13.9 Large intestine: colon wall (transverse section). Stain: hematoxylin and eosin. !30.
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https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/gi-tract-anatomy-normal-healthy-esophagus-96824779
References:

Young, B., O’Dowd, G., & Woodford, P. (2014). Wheater’s Functional Histology – A Text
and Colour Atlas 6th Edition. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone.

Mescher, A. (2010). Junqueira’s Basic Histology 2nd Edition. Asia: McGraw-Hill Companies.

Gartner, L., & Hiatt, J. (2001). Color Textbook of Histology 2nd Edition. Philadelphia, PA:
W.B. Saunders Company.

Eroschenko, V. (2008). diFiore’s Atlas of Histology with Functional Correlations 11th Edition. Baltimore MD: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins. E-book Retrieved from https://www.pdfdrive.com/

Prepared By:
DR. F.M. TAN