HISTOLOGY OF

DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM
OESOPHAGUS,
STOMACH-FUNDUS
& PYLORUS

Dr. Makarchuk Iryna

 INTRODUCTION
BASIC PATTERN:
I) Mucosa
- Epithelium
- Lamina propria
- Muscularis Mucosae
II) Submucosa
III) Muscularis
Externa
IV) Serous layer /
Adventitial layer
 EPITHELIUM:
MUCOSA
It is columnar
(Absorption/secretion)
all over except in the
Oesophagus and the
lower part of Anal canal
where it is stratified
squamous (Protection).
- Numerous folds
- Crypts At numerous
places epithelium dips
into the Lamina propria
and form crypts
(Simple tubular
glands).
Villi:
In Small intestine,
Mucosa bears
numerous finger-like
processes that project
in the lumen.
Glands:
1. Unicellular secretory
cells are scattered
among the cells of the
lining epithelium.
2. In some parts of
GIT, Compound tubulo-
alveolar glands are
present in the
submucosa.
 LAMINA PROPRIA:
- Made up of Collagen and reticular fibres.
- contain blood capillaries, lymph vessels and nerves
- In SI, the core of villus is attached to the lamina
propria.
- Prominent aggregation of lymphatic tissue is seen
in Lamina propria (MALT)
 MUSCULARIS
MUCOSAE
- Thin layer of smooth
muscle that seperates
lamina propria with the
submucosa.
- Inner layer: Circular
- Outer layer:
Longitudinal
- Contraction of Muscularis
Mucosa is important for
the local mixing of
intestinal contents
- It changes the shape of
mucosa, that helps in
absorption and secretion
 SUBMUCOSA
This layer consists of
loose areolar tissue that
connects mucosa to the
muscularis externa.
Its looseness permits

some mobility of
mucosa over the
muscularis externa.
Contain numerous
blood vessels,
lymphatics and nerve
fibres and Meissners
plexus.
 MUSCULARIS EXTERNA
It consists of smooth muscles
all over GIT except upper
part of oesophagus which
contain skeletal muscles.
Arranged in two layers

- Inner layer: Circular

- Outer layer: Longitudinal
Between the two layers
Auerbachs plexus
(Myenteric plexus) is
present.
- Inner circular layer acts as
sphincter. Eg: Pyloric
sphincter, Internal anal
sphincter, Ileo - caecal valve
 SEROSA /ADVENTITIAL LAYER
It is merely visceral
peritoneum
composed of
connective tissue
and simple
squamous
epithelium.
The oesophagus lies
outside the
abdominal cavity
has a superficial
layer called
Adventitia which
consists of areolar
connective tissue

OESOPHAGUS
It is a straight muscular
tube extending from
pharynx to the stomach in
abdomen.
MUCOSA:

Epithelium: Non-
Keratinised sratified
squamous epithelium
Lamina Propria: Thin
layer of loose CT.
Muscularis Mucosae:
- It is thicker than other
parts of GIT
- It is single layer of
longitudinally running
smooth muscle fibres.
 SUBMUCOSA:
- It is a wide layer of
irregular, moderately
dense connective tissue
composed of bundles of
collagen and elastic fibres.
- Due to elastic fibres
mucosa is thrown into
folds, hence lumen of
oesophagus appears star
shaped
- Contains blood vessels
and branched tubulo-
alveolar mucous glands
 MUSCULARIS EXTERNA
Arranged in two layers:
- Inner layer: Circular
- Outer layer:
Longitudinal
* Between the two layers
Myenteric plexus of
nerve fibre and ganglion
cells are present. It controls
peristaltic movement.
TYPES OF MUSCLES:
Upper 1/3rd Skeletal muscle
Middle 1/3rd Both skeletal
and smooth muscle
Lower 1/3rd purely smooth
muscle
 SEROSA / ADVEVTITIA
It consists of loose
areolar connective
tissue, which merges
with the connective
tissue of surrounding
structures.
CARDIO-OESOPHAGEAL JUNCTION
 STOMACH
Stomach is a dilated segment of the
digestive tract, that digest food and
secrets hormone
There are three histological regions:

Cardia

Fundus and body

Pylorus

The fundus and body are identical in

microscopic structure
The mucosa and submucosa of the

undistended stomach lie in

longitudinally directed folds known as
rugae
When the stomach is filled with food,

folds flatten out

 CARDIAC REGION OF THE
STOMACH
Mucosa:
Epithelial lining at the

cardio-oesophageal
junction changes
from stratified sq. to
simple columnar
epithelium
Presence of Mucous

surface cells and

cardiac glands
Submucosa:
Consists of
Meissners plexus
and blood vessels
Muscularis externa:
Inner Oblique
Middle circular
Outer longitudinal
Myenteric plexus
between muscle
layers
Serosa Simple
squamous epithelium
resting on a thin layer
of connective tissue
 STOMACH - FUNDUS
Mucosa:
- Lining Epithelium
Simple columnar
epithelium that
invaginates to various
extents into the lamina
propria, forming
gastric pits.
- These cells are
involved in mucus
secretion. The mucus
protects the epithelial
lining from damage due
to the presence of acid
in the stomach.
 STOMACH FUNDUS
Lamina propria:
- Small tubular
fundic/gastric glands are
present.
- Types of cells:
i) Mucous neck cells
Located just below gastric
pit.
- Columnar in shape
- Contain mucinogen
granules in apical
cytoplasm, while nuclei
are basally situated
basally.
- Produces soluble mucus
 Parietal or oxyntic
cells:
- They are large, ovoid or
polyhedral cells with a
large central nucleus.
- More numerous in the
upper half of the gland
than in the lower half
- Secretes HCL and
intrinsic factor. Intrinsic
factor combines with
vitamin B12 to form a
complex necessary for
erythrocytes formation.
 Chief or zymogenic
cells:
- Located in the lower
1/3rd of gastric glands.
- Contain rough
endoplasmic reticulum
near the base,
secretory granules
near their apex and a
small golgi apparatus.
- Secrete pepsinogen
which is converted
into pepsin in an acid
environment.
 Enteroendocrine and
APUD cells:
- Located in the basal
portion of gastric glands
- Secretes serotonin,
histamine and gastrin.
These are endocrine
cells which release their
products into the blood
vessels.

MUSCULARIS
MUCOSAE:
- It consists of two thin
layer of smooth
muscles.
i.e., Outer longitudinal
and inner circular
 SUBMUCOSA:
- Consists of blood
vessels, lymphatic
vessels and Meissners
plexus.

MUSCULARIS EXTERNA:
Inner: Oblique
Middle: circular
Outer: Longitudinal

SEROSA:
Outermost layers of the
stomach which consists
of loose connective tissue
covered by mesothelium
 STOMACH - PYLORUS
MUCOSA:
- Epithelium: Simple
columnar as in fundic part
- Pyloric glands occupy
the lamina propria
- Gastric pits are
deeper
- Glands are
short,tortuous and
branched
- Produce mucus and
gastrin
- Muscularis mucosa and
Submucosa are similar to
fundic part
 MUSCULARIS
EXTERNA:
Inner: Oblique
Middle: circular
Outer: Longitudinal
Similar to Fundic
part, but the
circular fibres are
much thickened to
form pyloric
sphincter
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CARDIA,
FUNDUS & BODY, AND PYLORUS
CARDIA FUNDUS & PYLORUS
BODY
Contain cardiac Contain gastric Contain pyloric
gland gland gland

Gastric pit less Gastric pit less Gastric pit

deeper than deeper than more deeper
pyloric gland pyloric gland than gastric or
cardiac gland

Parietal cells Parietal cells Parietal cells

absent or very more few
few 30
30
 CLINICAL ASPECTS
GASTRO-
ESOPHAGEAL
REFLUX DISORDER:
A condition which is
characterised by the
compromised state
of the lower
oesophageal
sphincter, which
leads to reflux of
food and acid into
oesophagus.
 OESOPHAGOSCOPY:
This may be indicated in
patients with persistent
oesophageal symptoms
such as atypical chest pain,
dysphagia, odynophagia
(painful swallowing) or
symptoms of reflux.
OESOPHAGEAL RUPTURE

The majority of
oesophageal ruptures are
iatrogenic.
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