GASTROINTESTINAL

TRACT
 The Gastrointestinal Tract
LAYERS
1. Mucosa
a. Epithelium
b. Lamina propria
c. Muscularis mucosae
2. Submucosa
3. Muscularis propria
4. Serosa/Adventitia
MUCOSA
innermost layer of the digestive tube.
It consists of a covering epithelium and glands that
extend into the underlying layer of loose
connective tissue called the lamina propria.
An inner circular and outer longitudinal layer of
smooth muscle, called the muscularis mucosae,
forms the outer boundary of the mucosa.
 The Gastrointestinal Tract
LAYERS
1. Mucosa
a. Epithelium
b. Lamina propria
c. Muscularis mucosae
2. Submucosa
3. Muscularis propria
4. Serosa/Adventitia
SUBMUCOSA
located below the mucosa
consists of dense irregular connective tissue
with numerous blood and lymph vessels and
a submucosal (Meissners) nerve plexus
control the motility of the mucosa and
secretory activities of associated mucosal
glands.
 The Gastrointestinal Tract
LAYERS
1. Mucosa
a. Epithelium
b. Lamina propria
c. Muscularis mucosae
2. Submucosa
3. Muscularis propria
4. Serosa/Adventitia
MUSCULARIS EXTERNA
thick, smooth muscle layer located inferior to the
submucosa
Except for the large intestine, this layer is
composed of an inner layer of circular smooth
muscle and outer layer of longitudinal smooth
muscle.
Situated between the two smooth muscle layers of
the muscularis externa is connective tissue and
another nerve
controls the motility of smooth muscles in the
muscularis externa
 The Gastrointestinal Tract
LAYERS
1. Mucosa
a. Epithelium
b. Lamina propria
c. Muscularis mucosae
2. Submucosa
3. Muscularis propria
4. Serosa/Adventitia
SEROSA
thin layer of loose connective tissue that surrounds
the visceral organs
ESOPHAGUS
a soft tube approximately 10 inches long that
extends from the pharynx to the stomach
Esophagus
LAYERS
1. Mucosa
a. Epithelium
b. Lamina propria
c. Muscularis mucosae
2. Submucosa
3. Muscularis propria
4. Serosa/Adventitia
Esophagus
Muscularis Propria OR Muscularis externa
1. Upper 3rd: Skeletal Muscle
2. Middle 3rd: Skeletal & Smooth Muscles
3. Lower 3rd: Smooth Muscles
UPPER ESOPHAGUS
STRATIFIED SQUAMOUS
EPITHELIUM
LAMINA PROPRIA

MUSCULARIS MUCOSA

ESOPHAGEAL GLANDS
GASTRO-ESOPAHGEAL JUNCTION
At its terminal end, the esophagus joins the
stomach and forms the esophageal-stomach
junction.
The nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium
of the esophagus abruptly changes to simple
columnar, mucus-secreting gastric epithelium of
the cardia region of the stomach.
At the esophageal-stomach junction, the
esophageal glands proper may be seen in the
submucosa .
 GASTRO-ESOPAHGEAL JUNCTION
In the lamina propria of the esophagus near the
stomach region are the esophageal cardiac glands.
Both the esophageal glands proper and the cardiac
glands secrete mucus.
The lamina propria of the esophagus continues into
the lamina propria of the stomach , where it
becomes filled with glands
The lamina propria of the stomach is penetrated by
shallow gastric pits into which empty the gastric
glands
GASTRO-ESOPHAGEAL JUNCTION
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.
 Stomach
LAYERS
1. Mucosa
a. Epithelium
b. Lamina propria
c. Muscularis mucosae
2. Submucosa
3. Muscularis propria
4. Serosa/Adventitia
Mucosa of the stomach
surface epithelium
simple columnar epithelium that extends into and lines the
gastric pits , which are tubular infoldings of the surface
epithelium.
In the fundus, the gastric pits are not deep and extend into
the mucosa about one fourth of its thickness
lamina propria
Beneath the epithelium is the loose connective tissue lamina
propria that fills the spaces between the gastric glands
muscularis mucosae
A thin smooth muscle consisting of an inner circular and an
outer longitudinal layer, forms the outer boundary of the
mucosa.
Thin strands of smooth muscle from the muscularis mucosae
extend into lamina propria between the gastric glands
toward the surface epithelium
Two distinct cell types can be identified in the gastric
glands:
The acidophilic parietal cells are located in the upper
portions of the glands
the basophilic chief (zymogenic) cells occupy the lower
regions.
The mucosa of the empty stomach exhibits temporary
folds called rugae .
Rugae are formed during the contractions of the
smooth muscle layer, the muscularis mucosae.
As the stomach fills, the rugae disappear and form a
smooth mucosa.
Submucosa
lies below the muscularis mucosa
In the empty stomach, submucosa can extend into
the rugae
contains dense irregular connective tissue and
more collagen fibers than the lamina propria
contains lymph vessels, capillaries , large
arterioles , and venules
Isolated clusters of parasympathetic ganglia of the
submucosal (Meissners) nerve plexus can be seen
deeper in the submucosa.
MUSCULARIS PROPRIA

- Smooth muscle fibers

- 3 layers:
1. outer longitudinal
2. middle- circular
3. inner- oblique
Muscularis externa
Located between the circular and longitudinal
smooth muscle layers is a myenteric (Auerbachs)
nerve plexus of parasympathetic ganglia and nerve
fibers.
Serosa
consists of a thin outer layer of connective tissue
that overlies the muscularis externa
covered by a simple squamous mesothelium of the
visceral peritoneum
can contain adipose cells
FUNDUS (STOMACH)

MUSCULARIS MUCOSA
SUBMUCOSA
FUNDUS (PARIETAL CELLS)
Two distinct cell types can be identified in the gastric
glands:
The acidophilic parietal cells are located in the upper
portions of the glands
the basophilic chief (zymogenic) cells occupy the lower
regions.
FUNDUS (CHIEF CELLS)
 Parietal cells
Produces the major component of gastric juice
which is the hydrochloric acid
also produce gastric intrinsic factor, a glycoprotein
that is necessary for absorption of vitamin B12
from the small intestine.
Vitamin B12 is necessary for erythrocyte (red
blood cell) production (erythropoiesis) in the
red bone marrow.
Deficiency of this vitamin leads to the
development of pernicious anemia, a disorder
of erythrocyte formation.
 Chief cells
zymogenic cells
filled with secretory granules that contain the
proenzyme pepsinogen, an inactive precursor of
pepsin.
Release of pepsinogen during gastric secretion
into the acidic environment of the stomach
converts the inactive pepsinogen into a highly
active, proteolytic enzyme pepsin.
This enzyme digests large protein molecules into
smaller peptides, converting almost all of the
proteins into smaller molecules
 Pyloric Region of the Stomach
In the mucosa of the pyloric region of the stomach, the
gastric pits are deeper than those in the body or
fundus regions
The pyloric glands open into the bottom of the gastric
pits
either branched or coiled tubular glands containing
mucous secretions
producing mucus
also secrete an enzyme called lysozyme that
destroys bacteria in the stomach
PYLORUS (STOMACH)

GASTRIC PIT

PYLORIC GLAND
SMALL INTESTINE
 SMALL INTESTINE
long, convoluted tube about 5 to 7 m long
the longest section of the digestive tract
extends from the junction with the stomach
to join with the large intestine or colon.
For descriptive purposes, the small intestine
is divided into three parts:
duodenum, jejunum, and ileum
SMALL INTESTINE
LAYERS
1. Mucosa
a. Epithelium
b. Lamina propria
c. Muscularis mucosae
2. Submucosa
3. Muscularis propria
4. Serosa
DUODENUM
shortest segment of the small intestine
The villi in this region are broad, tall, and numerous,
with fewer goblet cells in the epithelium.
Branched duodenal (Brunners) glands with mucus-
secreting cells in the submucosa characterize this
region
branched,tubuloacinar glands with light-staining mucous
cells
DUODENUM
Layers:
1. mucosa -lining epithelium, lamina propria,
and the muscularis mucosae
2. underlying connective tissue submucosa
with the mucous duodenal (Brunners)
glands
3. The two smooth muscle layers of the
muscularis externa ; and the
4. Visceral peritoneum serosa.
 SMALL INTESTINE
Mucosal Surface
Modifications
1. Plicae circularis
- In contrast to the rugae
of stomach, these are
permanent spiral folds
or elevations of the
mucosa (with a
submucosal core) that
extend into the
intestinal lumen
 Mucosal Surface Modifications
2. Villi
-permanent fingerlike projections of lamina propria
of the mucosa that extend into the intestinal lumen
-covered by simple columnar epithelium
- prominent in the proximal portion of the small
intestine
-The height of the villi decreases toward the ileum of
the small intestine
- epithelium & lamina propria
- ends in intestinal glands (Crypt of Lieberkhn)
- The connective tissue core of each villus contains a
lymphatic capillary called lacteal, blood capillaries, and
individual strands of smooth muscles
 Mucosal Surface Modifications
3. Microvilli
- cytoplasmic extension of absorptive cells
-They are visible under a light microscope
as a striated (brush) border
-coated by a glycoprotein coat glycocalyx,
which contains such brush border
enzymes as lactase, peptidases, sucrase,
lipase, and others that are important for
digestion
DUODENUM
fingerlike extensions called villi (singular,
villus)
a lining epithelium of columnar cells lined
with microvilli that form the striated borders
light-staining goblet cells
short, tubular intestinal glands (crypts of
Lieberkhn) in the lamina propria
Duodenal glands in the submucosa
characterize the duodenum.
These glands are absent in the rest of the
small intestine (jejunum and ileum) and
large intestine.
DUODENUM
Muscularis externa
inner circular layer and an outer
longitudinal layer of smooth muscle

Serosa (visceral peritoneum)

contains the connective tissue cells, blood
vessels, and adipose cells
forms the outermost layer of the first part
of the duodenum
DUODENUM MUSCLE:
INNCER CIRCULAR
OUTER LONGITUDINAL
DUODENUM
Small Intestine: Jejunum

The histology of the lower duodenum, jejunum, and

ileum is similar to that of the upper duodenum. The
only exception is the duodenal (Brunners) glands;
these are usually limited to the submucosa in the
upper part of the duodenum and are not found in
the jejunum and ileum.
JEJUNUM PLICAE CIRCULARIS
JEJUNUM
PANETH CELLS
Base of intestinal
glands (whose bases
contain red-staining or
eosinophilic secretory
granules)
- Secrete LYSOZYME
ILEUM
A characteristic feature of the ileum is the
aggregations of lymphatic nodules called
Peyers patches
Most of the lymphatic nodules exhibit
germinal centers
ILEUM

PEYERS PATCH
ILEUM

VILLI

GOBLET CELLS
APPENDIX
EPITHELIUM
- Numerous goblet cells
- Glands: less developed
LAMINA PROPRIA
- Diffuse lymphatic tissue
MUSCULARIS MUCOSAE
SUBMUCOSA
MUSCULARIS PROPRIA
SEROSA
LARGE INTESTINE
FUNCTION
1. Absorption
- water & electrolytes
2. Formation of feces
LARGE INTESTINE
MUCOSA
Epithelium
a. Absorptive cells
- short irregular microvilli
b. Goblet cells
- numerous

No plicae & villi

Deep glands
No Paneth cells
LARGE INTESTINE
LAMINA PROPRIA
- Loose connective tissue
- Rich in lymphoid cells

MUSCULARIS MUCOSA

SUBMUCOSA
LARGE INTESTINE
MUSCULARIS PROPRIA
- Inner circular
- Outer: Taenia coli
- 3 thick longitudinal bands

SEROSA/ ADVENTITIA
- Appendices epiploicae
COLON
MYENTERIC PLEXUS
RECTUM
The histology of the upper rectum is similar to that
of the colon.
The surface epithelium of the lumen is lined by simple
columnar cells with striated borders and goblet cells.
The intestinal glands, adipose cells and lymphatic
nodules in the lamina propria are similar to those in the
colon.
The intestinal glands are longer, closer together, and
filled with goblet cells.
Beneath the lamina propria is the muscularis mucosae .
RECTUM
The longitudinal folds in the upper rectum and colon
are temporary.
These folds ( contain a core of submucosa covered by
the mucosa.
Permanent longitudinal folds (rectal columns) are
found in the lower rectum and the anal canal.
Taeniae coli of the colon continue into the rectum,
where the muscularis externa acquires the typical
inner circular and outer longitudinal smooth muscle
layers.
Numerous blood vessels are found in both the
submucosa and adventitia
Anorectal Junction
The portion of the anal canal above the anorectal
junction represents the lowermost part of the
rectum.
The part of the anal canal below the anorectal
junction shows the transition from the simple
columnar epithelium to the stratified squamous
epithelium of the skin.
 Anorectal Junction
The circular smooth muscle layer of the muscularis
externa increases in thickness in the upper region
of the anal canal and forms the internal anal
sphincter .
Lower in the anal canal, the internal anal sphincter
is replaced by skeletal muscles of the external anal
sphincter.
External to the external anal sphincter is the
skeletal levator ani muscle .
Accessory organs of the
digestive system
Structure
Stroma
thin layer of reticular fibers surrounding
the hepatic cord cells and sinusoids.
acts like framework of liver cells

 Parenchyma
repeated units of hepatic lobules forms whole
liver parenchyma
hepatic lobules
hexagonal or polygonal in shape
covered by thin connective tissue called
interlobular septum
1. There is a central vein at the center of hepatic
lobule and hepatic cord cells radiate from the
central vein.
2. In between two hepatic cords cells there are
sinusoids made up of fenestrated endothelium
and von Kupffer cells.
3. Kupffer cells act as macrophages and destruct
the old rbcs thus form a reticuloendothelial
system.
 Bile canaliculi
in the microscopy of liver each hepatocyte is
connected to another by extension of cytoplasmic
threads through minute canals called bile canaliculi.
Perisinusoidal space of disse
space found between endothelium of
sinusoids and hepatic cords cells.
 Lobule Histology
Hepatic
Artery

Portal
Vein

Bile Duct

Lymph vessel

Central Vein Liver cells Sinusoid

in cords
Liver lobules
The three types of liver lobules are the
classical lobules, portal lobules, and the hepatic
acinus (acinus of Rappaport).
I. Classical liver lobule:
In this concept, blood flows from the periphery to
the center of the lobule into the central vein.
Bile, manufactured by liver cells, enters into small
intercellular spaces, bile canaliculi, located
between hepatocytes, and flows to the periphery of
the lobule to the interlobular bile ducts of the
portal areas.
Liver lobules
2)PORTAL LOBULES
all hepatocytes that deliver their bile to a
particular interlobular bile duct.
Liver lobules
3)Hepatic acinus (acinus of Rappaport) :
It is viewed as three poorly defined,
concentric regions of hepatic parenchyma
surrounding a distributing artery in the
center.
The outermost layer, zone 3,extends as far
as the central vein and is the most oxygen-
poor of the three zones.
The remaining region is divided into two
equal zones (1 and 2); zone 1 is the richest
in oxygen
Hepatocyte
Hepatocytes are polyhedral cells having one or two
spherical nuclei with nucleoli.
Cytoplasm is eosinophilic and contains
mitochondria,
RER,SER AND GOLGI APPARATUS ARE WELL
DEVELOPED
Kupffer cells
On the luminal
surface of
endothelium
Phagocytic cells
- metabolize old
RBC
- digest
hemoglobin
- secrete cytokines
Portal triad
GALLBLADDER
Consists of:

- Mucosa

- Muscularis / Fibromuscular layer

- Serosa / Adventitia
 Mucosa:
Simple columnar epithelium
Lamina propria rich in elastic
fibers and blood vessels.
Presence of microvilli gives
brush border appearance to
the epithelium under light
microscope, which facilitates
absorption of water.
Mucosa thrown into small
folds when the bladder is
empty.
 Muscularis:
This layer consists of
circularly arranged
smooth muscle fibers
intermixed with
connective tissue rich
in elastic fibers.

the neck of the

gallbladder, the lamina
propria houses simple
tubuloalveolar glands,
which produce a small
amount of mucus.
 Serosa/Adventitia:

Fundus and lower

surface of body of gall
bladder is covered by
peritoneum.

Upper surface is
attached to the fossa
for gallbladder by
means of connective
tissue.
 There is no:

Muscularis mucosa

&

Submucosa
 The main function of the gallbladder is to
store bile, concentrate it by absorbing its
water, and release it when necessary into the
digestive tract.
Contraction of the smooth muscle of the
gallbladder is induced by (cholecystokinin), a
hormone produced by enteroendocrine cells
located in the epithelial lining of the small
intestine.
Pancreas
Exocrine component
forms the majority of the pancreas
consists of closely packed secretory serous acini
and zymogenic cells arranged into small lobules.
 Acinar cells secrete a variety of digestive enzymes
Trypsin, chymotrypsin, peptidases
digest proteins up to amino
acids
Amylase
digests carbohydrates up to
glucose
Lipases
digest lipids up to glycerol and
fatty acids
Nucleases
digest nucleic acids up to
nucleotides
Pancreas
Endocrine component

Within the serous acini are the isolated

pancreatic islets (of Langerhans)
are the characteristic features of the
pancreas
 B cells constitute about 70% of the
islet population
occupy the islet central portion
secrete insulin
 The Major Salivary Glands
Three major salivary glands:
1. Parotid
2. Submandibular, and
3. Sublingual
Salivary glands are located outside of the
oral cavity and convey their secretions into the
mouth via large excretory ducts.
Salivary glands are composed of cellular
secretory units called acini (singular, acinus) and
numerous excretory ducts.
The secretory units are small, saclike
dilations located at the end of the first segment
of the excretory duct system, the intercalated
ducts.
Cells of the Salivary Gland Acini
Cells that comprise the secretory acini of salivary
glands are of two types: serous or mucous
Serous cells in the acini are pyramidal in shape.
Their spherical or round nuclei are displaced basally by
secretory granules accumulated in the upper or apical
regions of the cytoplasm.
Mucous cells
similar in shape to serous cells, except their cytoplasm is
completely filled with a light-staining, secretory product
called mucus. As a result, the accumulated secretory
granules flatten the nucleus and displace it to the base
of the cytoplasm.
 In some salivary glands, both mucous and serous
cells are present in the same secretory acinus.
In these mixed acini, where mucous cells
predominate, serous cells form a crescent or
moonshaped cap over the mucous cells called a
serous demilune
Myoepithelial cells
flattened cells that surround both serous and
mucous acini
also highly branched and contractile
are sometimes called basket cells because they
surround the acini with their branches like a basket
located between the cell membrane of the
secretory cells in acini and the surrounding
basement membrane
 Salivary Gland Ducts
Connective tissue fibers subdivide the salivary
glands into numerous lobules, in which are found
the secretory units and their excretory ducts.
Intercalated Ducts
Both serous and mucous, as well as mixed
secretory, acini initially empty their secretions into
the intercalated ducts.
These are the smallest ducts in the salivary glands
with small lumina lined by low cuboidal
epithelium.

Contractile myoepithelial cells surround some

portions of intercalated ducts
Striated Ducts
Several intercalated ducts merge to form the larger
striated ducts.
These ducts are lined by columnar epithelium and,
with proper staining, exhibit tiny basal striations.
The striations correspond to the basal infoldings of
the cell membrane and the cellular interdigitations.
Located in these basal infoldings of the cell
membrane are numerous and elongated
mitochondria
Excretory Intralobular Ducts

Striated ducts, in turn, join to form larger

intralobular ducts of gradually increasing size,
surrounded by increased layers of connective tissue
fibers
Interlobular and Interlobar Ducts
Intralobular ducts join to form the larger
interlobular ducts and interlobar ducts.
The terminal portion of these large ducts
conveys saliva from salivary glands to the oral
cavity.
Larger interlobular ducts may be lined with
stratified epithelium, either low cuboidal or
columnar
Hints:
Sublingual glands have mainly mucous acini.
Parotid glands have mainly serous acini.
Submandibular glands have a mixture of
mucous and serous acini, mainly serous
Mucous acini stain more weakly than serous
acini, because of the techniques used to
produce the sections.
Parotid glands
The paired parotid glands are the largest of the
salivary glands, located anterior and inferior to the
external ear.
compound tubuloacinar gland
Submandibular Salivary Gland
The smaller, paired submandibular (submaxillary)
glands are located inferior to the mandible in the
floor of the mouth.
also a compound tubuloacinar gland
mixed gland, containing both serous and mucous
acini, with serous acini predominating.

The presence of both serous and mucous acini

distinguishes the submandibular gland from the
parotid gland, which is a purely serous gland.
Sublingual glands
The smallest salivary glands are the sublingual
glands, which are aggregates of smaller glands
located inferior to the tongue.
compound, mixed tubuloacinar gland that
resembles the submandibular gland because it
contains both serous and mucous acini
Most of the acini, however, are mucous that are
capped with peripheral serous demilunes
 In comparison with other salivary glands, the duct
system of the sublingual gland is somewhat
different.
The intercalated ducts are short or absent, and not
readily observed in a given section.
In contrast, the nonstriated intralobular excretory
ducts are more prevalent in the sublingual glands.