HISTOLOGY OF DIGESTIVE

SYSTEM
Large intestine and Anal
canal
 Large intestine:

• Between the small & large intestine there

is a ring of smooth muscle called the
ileocecal sphincter & one –way ileocecal
valve.
• It consists of cecum, ascending,
transverse, descending,
sigmoid colon & the rectum.
The mucosal membrane:
• Has no folds except in its distal (rectal) portion
that contain longitudinal folds called the rectal
columns of Morgagni.
• There are no villi in the large intestine.
• The mucosa have numerous closely arranged
tubular glands or crypts similar to those in the
small intestine.
The mucosal surface & the glands are lined by an epithelium made up
mainly of:

 1-Columnar cells:
• There are more numerous type.
 2-Goblet cells:
• The mucin vacules are larger in the sigmoid
colon & rectum than in the caecum &
ascending colon.
3-Stem cells:
These are found at the base of crypt, they develop to
other type of cells.
4-Endocrine cells:
• Large intestine contains some endocrine cells mainly in
the lower half of crypts.
• Their granules found at the basal of nucleus.
• They contain Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide
• The epithelium overlying lymphatic follicle that are
present in the lamina propria contains M-cells as those
found in small intestine.
•  
Muscularis externa:

• Muscle fiber of outer longitudinal layer in

the large intestine are collected to form 3
thick bands that are called taenia coli.
• A thin layer of longitudinal fibers is
present between the band & the inner
circular layer of smooth muscle fibers is
found as those in small intestine.
Serosa:

• Intraperitoneal (caecum, transverse,

sigmoid) these covered by serosa.
• retroperitoneal (ascending & descending)
these are covered by adventitia & serosa.
• The rectum passes vertically through the
pelvis, surrounded by adventitia. 
Appendix: The Vermiform:

• It is small blind end of

tubular diverticulum
arise from the caecum.
• Normally it has a long
about 5-10 cm &
diameter about 0.8cm.
• it decrease in diameter
with increasing age. 
Rectum and Anal canal:
• Is about 4cm long.
• The upper 3 cm are lined by mucous membrane & the lower 1 cm are
lined by skin.
• The upper 3 cm can be subdivided into 15mm upper part & 15mm
lower part.
• The mucous membrane of the upper 15mm of the anal canal is lined by
columnar epithelium have 6-12 longitudinal folds that are called the
anal columns.
• The lower ends of the anal columns are united to each other by short
transverse folds called the anal valves.
• These valves together form a transverse line that runs all round the
anal canal & this is called pectinate line.
• The mucous membrane of the lower 15 mm part is lined by non-
keratinized stratified squamous epithelium.
Rectum and Anal canal:
• The mucosa has a bluish appearance because of presence of a
dense venous plexus between it the muscle coat.
• This region is called the pectin or transitional zone.
• The lower limit of the pectin forms the white line of Hilton.
• The lowest 8-10 mm of the anal canal are lined by true skin in
which hair follicles, sebaceous glands & sweat glands are
present.
• Above each anal valve there is a depression called the anal
sinus.
• A typical apocrine sweat glands open into each sinus. They are
called the anal or circumanal glands.
Rectum and Anal canal:

• The anal canal is surrounded by circular & longitudinal layer of

muscle continuous with those of the rectum.
• The circular muscle is thickened to form the internal anal sphincter,
which is smooth muscle & its under autonomic control.
• Outside the layer of smooth muscle there is the external anal
sphincter which is made up of striated muscle & its under the
voluntary control.
• In the submucosa of the anal canal there is prominent venous
plexus.
• The internal haemorrhoidal plexus located above the level of
pectinate line, while the external haemorrhoidal plexus lies near
the lower end of the canal. 
Question:
• What are the differences between the
histological structure of appendix and
that of colon?
Thanks