1.

MUCOSA
 EPITHELIUM;
 Consists of surface epithelium which lines the inside of the mucosa
 Depending on the function this epithelium can be;
 Stratified squamous – oral cavity, pharynx, oesophagus, part of rectum
 Transitional – urinary tract
 Simple columnar or prismatic – stomach, intestine, trachea
 Stratified ciliary – nasal cavity, larynx
 Epithelial cells are connected to each other by specialized junctions :- tight and desmosomes
 Functions of epithelium;
a) Protects underlying tissue
b) In some organs (kidneys, intestine, stomach) it performs selective absorption
 There are goblet cells in the epithelium which secrete mucous that keeps the mucosa moist
 The basement membrane acts like an elastic support for the epithelial layer and serves as a
barrier during filtration or diffusion. It also participates in nutrition to the epithelium
 The epithelium is highly capable of regeneration
 LAMINA PROPRIA;
 Situated to the outside of the basement membrane
 Consists of;
o Loose fibrous CT
o Blood and lymph vessels
o Nerve fibers
o Lymphoid cells (lymphocytes, plasmocytes)
o Lymph nodules
o Simple Multicellular glands
 functions of lamina propria;
 supports surface of the epithelium
 provides epithelium with nutrients
 takes part in absorption
 At the border between mucosa and sub mucosa lays the muscular layer of the mucosa,
formed by a thin layer of smooth muscle cells. Some organs like the “tongue and gums”
don’t have this layer
 During contraction of the muscular layer (Lamina muscularis mucosae) the mucosa forms
folds
 There are 2 possible structures of muscle layer;
1. Organs which have simple epithelium or their main function is absorption
(stomach, large and small intestine) – myocytes interwine with each other forming
a network structure
2. In organs where main function is secretion – smooth muscle cells are disorderly
oriented

2. SUBMUCOSA;
 Situated on the outside of the mucosa
 Consists of;
 Loose CT – rich in elastic fiber – contributes to formation of folds
 Large number of blood and lymph vessels – forms the vascular plexus
 Numerous nerve fibers – form sub mucosal (Meissner’s) nerve plexus
  Glands – secrete mucous and bio active substances
 Some glands open into the surface epithelium of the mucosa through an excretory duct
 Glands may have different shapes;
a. Multicellular simple glands – an unbranched excretory duct
b. Multicellular compound glands – system of branched tubes and alveoli which open
into a common duct
 Some glands (walls of oesophagus, larynx and other organs) contain separate endocrine
cells. The secretion of these (bio active proteins) doesn’t proceed into excretory duct but
absorbed by nearby blood and lymph vessels
 The stroma of the glands provide;
1) Protection and support
2) Consists of nerves, fibroblasts, mast cells, lymphoid elements
 Large sections of glands are called lobes and small sections are lobules
 Stromal traberculae between lobes are called interlobar
 Stromal traberculae between lobules are called interlobular

3. MUSCULARIS EXTERNA;
 Within the muscularis the myocytes form 2 layers;
1. Internal layer – circular muscles
2. External layer – longitudinal muscles
*In the stomach wall there is a 3rd layer between above mentioned two made up of
oblique muscles
 Between the 2 layers there is a thin intermuscular septum of CT which contains;
 Blood and lymph vessels
 Large number of nerve fibers which form the myenteric nerve plexus (Auerbach’s
nerve plexus)
 Functions of muscularis layer;
A. In digestive organs – provides muscle tone and rhythmic contractions (peristalsis)
B. In respiratory organs – regulates the width of lumina of bronchi
C. In urinogenital organs – regulates lumina if the duct of urinary and reproductive
system
 The muscularis at the beginning and end of digestive tract (mouth, pharynx, upper part of
oesophagus, external sphincter, and rectus) and some parts of respiratory pathway (larynx)
has striated muscles which can contract voluntarily.
 In some areas of the muscularis circular muscle layer forms thickenings called sphincters,
which can narrow the lumen in tubular organs.
Eg;- pyloric sphincter (between duodenum and stomach), exit from bladder has internal
smooth muscle sphincter and end of rectum has internal anal sphincter.

4. THE EXTERNAL LAYER (ADVENTITIA/SEROSA);

 Formed by loose fibrous CT which contains;
 Blood and lymph vessels
  Nerves
 Functions of adventitia;
1) Covers and protects internal organs
2) Attaches them to walls of body cavities and to neighboring organs.
 Organs in the abdominal cavity are covered by a serosa (peritoneum) (covers part of
oesophagus, stomach, mesenteric part of small intestine and parts of the large
intestine)
 Serosa layer in the lungs is called the pleura
 Serosa formed by – thin lamina of dense CT and covered on the outside by simple
squamous epithelium and mesothelium.
 Serosa contains;
 Blood and lymph vessels
 Nerve fibers
 Large number of sensitive nerve endings