DIGESTIVE TRACT

By :
Achadiyani, dr.

I. GENERAL FEATURES OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT

A. Components :
The organs include :
- Oral cavity
- Oral pharynx
- Esophagus
- Small intestine (duodenum, Jejunum, Ileum.)
- Large intestine (cecum and appendix, colon)
- Rectum
- Anal Canal
B. General Structure Feature :
The walls organs consist of 4 layers :
1. Mucosa
3 part :
- epithelium - lamina propria - muscularis mucosae

2. Sub mucosa :
- Irregular connective tissue
3. Muscularis externa : 2 layers of smooth muscle :
- inner circular - outer longitudinal
- outer longitudinal
4. Serosa and adventitia

Duct of associated
gland (transport of
secretion)

Lamina propria
(support)
Submucosa (support)
Muscularis
mucosae (mucosal
motility) plexus
Submucosal

(control of muscle
activity) of
Villus (increase

mucosal surface)
Gland in the
lamina propria
(secretion)
Inner circular
muscle layer
(motility)
Myenteric plexus
(controls muscle
contractions)

Mesothelium
(protective coating;
reduction of
friction)
Serosa
(support)
Outer
longitudinal
muscle layer
(motility)
Lymph nodule
(immune
defense)

Gland in
submucosal layer
(secretions)

Schematic structure of a portion of the digestive tract with various

components and their functions.

C. General Functional Features :

1. Digestion
5. Innervation
2. Absorption
6. Blood Supply
3. Excretion
7. Protection
4. Endocrine function
II. ORAL CAVITY
- Lined with non keratinized stratified squamous epithelium
- anterior : - lip superior
- lip inferior
- Roof of mouth : hard plate :
* epith. Stratified squamous epithelium
* the mucous membrane rest on bony tissue
soft plate :
* Stratifield squamous epithelium
* Mucous membrane rest on skeletal muscle
- Uvula

A. Lips :
There is a transition from non
keratinized mucous membrane to the
keratinized stratified squamous epithelium
of the skin.

LIP (Longitudinal Section)

1. Epithelium of
the labial
mucosa
2. Lamina propria
of labial mucosa

6. Border of the
lip, transiton
7. zone
Neurovascular
bundle
8. Orbicularis oris
muscle
9. Epidermis

3. Superficial
artery

10. Dermis
11. Sebaceous
gland

4. Labial mucous
glands of the
mucosa : alveoli
and duct

12. Hair follicles

(t.s and l.s)
13. Erector
muscle
(arrector pili
muscle)

5. Vein

14. Sweat gland :

duct and
secreting
portions
15.
Erector
muscle
(arrector pili

B. Tongue :
There are 4 types of papillae :
1. Fili form papillae
2. Fungi form papillae
3. Foliate papillae
4. Circum vallate papillae

1. Mucosa :
Tongue
4. Fungiform papilla :
epithelium and
epithelium and
lamina propria 2. Muscle (l.s)
3. Muscle (t.s) lamina propria 5. Muscle (o.s)
6. Filiform papillae

: Apex

7. Fungiform papillae

18. Mucosa :
epithelium and
17. Nerve (l.s) lamina propria
16. Arterioles
15. Venule
8. Nerves (t.s) 10. Venule 12. Interlobular
14. Excretory
ducts
9. Arteriole 11. Serous
13. Mucousduct
alveoli
alveoli

TONGUE
1. Lingual epithelium

4. Venules

8. Stratified squamous
epithelium
9. Circular furrow
(sulcus)
10. Wall of the cicular
furrow (sulcus)

5. Taste buds

11. Taste buds

2. Lamina propria
3. Secondary papillae

6. Skeletal muscle
fibers
12. Serous alveoli of
glands of the vallate
papillae (von Ebners
glands)
7. Excretory ducts

13. Excretory duct (l.s)

14. Transverse
section of muscle
fibers

TONGUE

1. Mucosal ridges

2. Diffuse lymphatic
tissue

6. Epithelium and
lamina propria of
mucosal fold

7. Excretory duct

3. Adipose cells
8. Arteriole and
venule
4. Mucous alveoli
(posterior lingual
glands)

9. Nerve (l.s)

5. Skeletal muscle
(o.s)

10. Skeletal muscle

(l.s)

III. TEETH AND ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE

A. HISTOLOGIC STRUCTURE
1. TOOTH STRUCTURE :
a. Pulp Cavity
b. Dentin
c. Enamel
d. Cementum
2. ASSOCIATED STRUCTURE
a. Periodontal ligament
b. Alveolar bone
c. Gingiva (Gums)

Enamel

Crown
Dentin
Cuticle
Neck
Pulp
Alveolar bone
Odontoblasts
Root

Periodontal ligament
Gingiva
Root canal
Cementum
Apical foramen

Diagram of a sagittal section from an incisor tooth

in position in the mandibular bone

B. TOOTH DEVELOPMENT

Surface of tongue on the region close to its V shaped boundary

between the anterior and posterior portions. Observe the lymphoid
nodules, lingual tonsils, glands and papillae.

IV. PHARYNX
The pharynx is shared by the respiratory and digestive tracts
1. The Respiratory pharynx
- Its superior portion
- Lined by respiratory epithelium
2. The Oral pharynx (oropharynx)
- Its inferior portion
- Lined by non keratinized stratified

V. ESOPHAGUS
- Mucosa : - Non keratinized stratified squamous epithelium
- Lamina propria : esophageal cardiac glands
- Muscularis mucosae
- Sub Mucosa : - esophageal glands
- Muscularis Externa :
- The upper third
: skeletal muscle
- The middle third : skeletal and smooth muscle
- The lower third
: smooth muscle

UPPER ESOPHAGUS (TRANSVERSE SECTION)

1. Stratified squamous
epithelium
2. Lamina propria
3. Muscularis mucosae
(smooth muscle)
4. Submucosa
5. Circular muscle layer
(skeletal)
6. Connective tissue
between muscle layers
7. Longitudinal muscle
layer (skeletal)
8. Adventitia

9. Lymphatic nodule
10. Duct passing through
muscularis mucosae
11. Mucos alveoli
(esophageal glands)
12. Ducts
13. Arteriole and venule
14. Adipose cells

15. Venule

16. Adipose tissue

17. Artery
18. Vein
19. Nerves

VI. STOMACH
The stomach has 4 major regions :
- Cardia
- Fundus
- Corpus (Body)
- Pylorus
Gastric mucosa
- lining of simple columnar epithelium
- They secrete a neutral mucus

* Lamina propria :
a. Cardia

: - Cardiac glands (branched tubular)

- Produce mucus and lysozyme

b. Fundus and Corpus (body)

- Fundic glands :
1. Parietal cells

: HCl, intrinsic factor

2. Chief cells

: pepsinogen, lipase

3. Serotonin secreting cells

c. Pylorus
* Pyloric glands :
- All glandular cell types may be present
- Parietal cells : rare
- Chief cells
- Gastrin-secrening cells (G-cells)
* Muscularis mucosae :
- inner
: circular
- outer
: longitudinal
* Submucosae
* Muscularis externa is arranged in 3 layers :
- inner
: oblique
- middle
: circular
- outer
: longitudinal

Esophagus
Pit
Junction of gland
and base of pit
Lamina propria
Glands
Muscularis mucosae

Pit
Cardia

Cardia

Duodenum

Pyloric
sphincter

Pit

Neck
Neck

Pylorus

Gland
Gland
Lamina propria Base
Lymph nodule
Muscularis
mucosae
Submucosa

Body

Regions of the stomach and their histologic structure

CARDIA (LONGITUDINAL SECTION)

10. Stratified squamous
epithelium of esophagus
1. Capillary (t.s)

11. Esophageal glands

2. Capillary (l.s)

12. Esophageal cardiac glands

(t.s)
13. Ducts of esophageal glands
(t.s)
14. Lamina propria of
esophagus
15. Duct of esophagueal glands
(l.s)
16. Lamina propria of stomach

3. Venules
4. Arteriole
5. Venule with
hemolyzed
blood
6. Muscularis externa :
inner layer (smooth
muscle)
7. Submucosa
8. Muscularis mucosae :
inner circular and outer
longitudinal layers
9. Artery with
erythrocytes

17. Cardiac glands

18. Gastric epithelium (mucous

columnar)
19. Foveolae (gastric pits)

20. Gastric glands

21. Chief cells
22. Mucous neck cells
23. Parietal cells

STOMACH : FUNCUS OR BODY

1. Surface epithelium
(mucous secreting
columnar)
2. Basement membrane
3. Lamina propria
4. Foveolae (gastric
pits)
5. Gastric glands,
neck region
6. Mucous neck cells

8. Foveola
9. Gastric gland opening
into foveola
10. Gastric gland
(neck)
11. Lamina propria

7. Parietal cells
12. Gastric gland,
transverse section
13. Chief cells

STOMACH : FUNCUS OR BODY

8. Parietal cells
1. Gastric glands (l.S)

9. Chief or zymogenic
cells

2. Lamina propria
3. Parietal cells
4. Chief or zymogenic
cells
5. Subglandular
region of the
lamina propria
6. Venule
7. Submucosa

10. Gastric glands

(t.s)
11. Parietal cell
12. Chief or
zymogenic cells
13. Muscularis
mucosae (circular
layer)
14. Muscularis
mucosae
(longitudinal layer)

VII. SMALL INTESTINE

The small intestine, which include :
- duodenum : retroperitoneal
- jejunum
: intraperitoneal
- ileum
: intraperitoneal
To increase the absorptive surface :
1. Plicae circulares (Kerckring's value) :
consisting mucosa and submucosa
2. Intestinal villi : epithelium + lamina propria
3. Micro villi

Electron micrograph of epithelium of the small intestine. When viewed with

the light microscope, abundant microvilli at the apex can be seen to for, the
striated border. At left are 2 lymphocytes migrating in the epithelium. In the
center is an enteroendocrine cell (E) with its basal secretory granules.

Muscularis mucosaeLamina Glands (crypts)

propria

B
Goblet cells

Mitosis

Smooth muscle
Lymphatic capillary
Striated border
Enteroendocrine
cells
Smooth muscle
Lymphocytes

Paneth cells

Cells sloughing off

Lymphocytes

Smooth muscle
Capillary
Goblet cells

Schematic diagram illustrating the structure of the small intestine.

A. The small intestine under low magnification. In the villus to the left,
observe the desquamation of the epithelial cells. Because of constant
mitotic activity of the cells from the blind end the glands and the
upward migration of these cells (dashed arrows), the intestinal
epithelium is continuously renewed. Observe the intestinal glands (of
Lieberkuhn).
B. The intestinal glands have a lining of intestinal epithelium and goblet
cells (upper portion). At a lower level, the immature epithelial cells
are frequently seen in mitosis; note also the presence of Paneth and
enteroendocrine cells. As the immature cells progress upward, they
differentiate and develop microvilli, seen as a striated border in the
light microscope. Cells proliferation and cell differentiation occur
simultaneously in the blind end of these glands.
C. A. villus tip showing the columnar covering epithelium with its
striated border and a moderate number of goblet cells. Capillaries, a
lymphatic capillary, smooth muscle cells and leukocytes can be seen
in the connective tissue core of the villlus. Lymphocytes are in the
epithelial layer in great numbers. Cells are sloughing off at the apex
of the villus.

Mucosa of the small intestine :

1. Villi
2. Intestinal glands (crypts of Lieberkuhn)
- These simple tubular glands
- They are lined by :
* absorptive cells
* goblet cells
* paneth's cells
* entero endocrine cells
* undifferentiated cells

SMALL INTESTINE : DUODENUM

(LONGITUDINAL SECTION)
1. Lining
epithelium
:
columnar
cells
with
striated borders and
goblet cells
2. Intervillous space

13. Villi with core of lamina

propria and muscle fibers

14. Lamina propria proper

3. Intertinal villus (l.s)

4. Muscle fibers in a villus
5. Intestinal glands opening
into intervillous spaces
6. Intestinal glands (l.s)
7. Intestinal glands (t.s)
8. Duodenal glands
9. Displaced fibers of the
muscularis mucosae
10. Arteriole
11. Venule
12. Parasympathetic
ganglion of the myenteric
plexus

15. Muscularis mucosae

16. Duodenal glands
extending into the mucosa
17. Submucosa with
duodenal glands

18. Muscularis externa :

inner circular and outer
longitudinal layers
19. Serosa (visceral
peritoneum)

SMALL INTESTINE : JEJUNUM ILEUM

11. Surface epithelium : striated

ordered and goblet cells
12. Villus (t.s)
13. Villus (o.s)

1. Villi (l.s)
14. Contracted villus

2. Intervillous spaces
3. Intestinal glands
(crypts of Lieberkuhn)

15. Smooth muscle

fibers in villi
16. Villi (t.s)

4. Epithelium
5. Lamina propria
6. Muscularis mucosae
7. Submucosa

17. Intestinal glands

(t.s)
18. Parasympathetic
ganglia of the
myentric plexus

8. Circular muscle
layer
9. Longitudinal
muscle layer
10. Serosa
19. Adipose tissue
20. Neurovascular
bundle

21. Lymphatic nodule

PANETH CELLS
1. Goblet cells in
intestinal glands
2. Cells with striated
borders

3. Paneth cells (cells

with acidopilic
granules)
4. Muscularis
mucosae (l.s)

ARGENTAFFIN CELLS
1. Argyrophilic
fibers in the
lamina propria

2. Argentaffin cells
in intestinal
glands

VIII. LARGE INTESTINE, this includes

- caecum
- ascending (colon)
- transverse (colon)
- descending (colon)
- sigmoid (colon)
- rectum

A. Mucosa :
- Rectum : vertical folds called the rectal columns (of
Morgagni)
B. Submucosa :
- lower rectum : hemorrhoidal plexus
C. Muscularis externa :
- Colon : smooth muscle at the outer longitudinal layer is
gathered into 3 thick longitudinal bands called taenia coli
D. adventitia and Serosa

LARGE INTESTINE COLON (WALL, TRANSVERSE SECTION)

24. Serosa 25. Muscularis externa
1. Seresa (visceral
peritoneum)
2. Parasympathetic ganglia of the
myenteric plexus
3. Arterioles
4. Venules
5. Muscularis externa :
inner circular layer
(l.s)
6. Muscularis externa : outer
longitudinal layer (l.s)
7. Capillaries
8. Arteries and vein

26. Submucosa

27. Mucosa

14. Surface epithelium :

columnar with striated
borders
15. Glandular
epithelium : goblet
16.cells
Intestinal glands (tg.s)
17. Lymphatic nodule
18. Germinal center
19. Lamina propria

20. Intestinal glands (l.s)

21. Intestinal glands (t.s)

9. Submucosa

22. Goblet cells

10. Muscularis mucosae

11. Parasympathetic
ganglion
12. Arteriole
13. Nerves

23. Lymphatic nodule

Appendix
epiploica
Tenia coli (longitudinal
muscle)

Circular muscle
Submucosa
Mesocolon

Photomicrograph of a section
of large intestine. Observe the
intestinal glands with abundant
goblet cells.

Mucosa

Cross section of colon

IX. APPENDIX (VERMIFORM APPENDIX)

- evagination of the inferior end of the cecum
- many lymphoid nodules
- smaller
- fewer and shorter crypts
than colon

Appendix (Panoramic view, transverse section)

X. ANAL CANAL
- The mucosa :
* 2 cm has typical colonic epithelium
* Replaced by stratified squamous epithelium
to the anal opening
- Lamina propria : Hemorrhoidal plexus

continues

- Submucosa : -sebaceous glands

- circum anal apocrine sweat glands
- Muscularis
* Inner : thick circular layer of smooth muscle
internal anal sphincter
* Distal : composed of skeletal muscle
anal sphincter

involuntary

voluntary external

B. Lower part of anal canal

A. Upper part of anal canal

ANAL CANAL (LONGITUDINAL SECTION)

4. Epithelium of the rectal
1. Muscularis externa
of the rectum :
thickened circular
layer (internal anal
sphincter

2. Muscularis externa
outer longitudinal
layer

5. Muscularis mucosae
6. Lymphatic nodule
7. Intestinal gland
8. Lamina propria
9. Sub mucosa
10. Rectum-anus junction
11. Anal Valve

12. Terminal muscularis mucosae

3. Levator ani muscle

(skeletal muscle)

13. Epithelium and lamina

propria of theanal mucosa
14. Internal anal sphincter
15. Internal hemorrhoidal
plexus
16. External anal sphincter,
subcultaneous
division (skeletal muscle)

Distinguishing features of the walls of the digestive tract

Contd distinguishing features of the walls of the digestive tract

GLANDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DIGESTIVE TRACT

A. Components of the system :
1. Salivary glands :
- parotid glands
- submandibular glands
- sublingual glands
2. Pancreas
3. Liver
4. Gall bladder
B. Glandular Sub unit
1. Lobes
2. Lobules
3. Acini (or Alveoli)
C. Exocrine Ducts :
1. Intra lobular ducts : a. Inter calated ducts
b. Striated ducts
2. Inter lobular ducts

The structure of the submandibular (submaxillary)

gland. Acini in the secretory portion are composed of
pyramidal serous (lighter color) and mucous (stippled)
cell and the tubules of mucous cells. The nuclei of serous
cells are euchromatic and rounded and an accumulation
of rough endoplasmic reticulum is evident in the basal
third of the cell. The apex of the cell is filled with
protein rich secretory granules. The nuclei of mucous
cells, flattened with condensed chromatin, are located
near the bases of the cells. Mucous cell have little rough
endoplasmic reticulum and contain distinct secretory
granules. The short intercalated ducts are lined with
cuboidal epithelium. The striated ducts are composed of
columnar cells with such characteristics of ion
transporting cells as basal membrane invaginations and
mitochondrial accumulation. Myoepithelial cells are
shown in darker color.

I. SALIVARY GLANDS :
1. PAROTID GLANDS :
* Serous secretory cells
* Parotid secretions : - 25 % total salivary
volume

SALIVARY GLAND : PAROTID

2. SUB MANDIBULAR ( SUBMAXILLARY) GLANDS

- Produced 70 % of the salivary volume
- Contain serous and mucous
mostly serous :

Photomicrograph of a section of human submandibular gland.

Observe the presence of dense of this tubuloacinar gland. In the
lower right region is a striated duct (SD). The arrow indicates a
demilune where serous cells are eccentrically displaced, assuming
the form of a crescent.

3. SUB LINGUAL GLANDS:

- Produced 5 % of the salivary volume
- Contain mucous and serous
mostly mucous

Photomicrograph of a human
sublingual gland showing the
predominance of mucous cells.
Examples of an intralobular (I)
and connective tissue
ensheathed interlobular (E)
duct are also present.

II. PANCREAS
- The pancreas is serous
- Contain islets of langerhans
- Cells types : Pancreatic acinar cells,
centro acinar cells

Basal lamina

Intercalated
duct
Zymogen
granules
Acinar cells

Centroacinar cells

Photomicrograph showing the

appearance of the acinar portion of
the pancreas with its secretory cells.

Schematic drawing of the structure of pancreatic acini.

Acinar cells (darker color) are pyramidal, with granules at
their apex and rough endoplasmic reticulum at the cell
base. The intercalated duct partly penetrates the acini.
These duct cells are known as centroacinar cells (lighter
color). Note the absence of myoepithelial cells.

PANCREAS (SECTIONAL VIEW)

PANCREATIC ACINI
(SPECIAL PREPARATION)

1. Alpha cells
1. Zymogen
granules
2. Beta cells

2. Basophilic
(chromophilic)

3. Capillaries

4. Connective
tissue
5. Pancreatic
acinus

PANCREATIC ISLETS
(SPECIAL PREPARATION)

III. LIVER
a. General Structure
- partly covered by Glisson's capsule
- Cells are arranged in one-or 2-cell-thick plates that
are separated by the hepatic sinusoids
- The liver has a dual blood supply :
* Portal vein
* Hepatic artery
Also has 3 drainage systems :
* Hepatic vein
* Lymphatic vessels
* Bile duct

Three dimensional aspect of the normal liver. In the upper center vein; in the lower center,
the portal vein. Observe the bile canaliculus (darker color), liver plates (lighter color),
Herings canal, Kupffer cells sinusoid, fat-storing cell, and sinusoidal endothelial cell.

B.General Functions :
1. Protein Synthesis
2. Bile productions
3. Metabolit storage
4. Detoxification & Inactivation
C. Blood Supply
1. Hepatic portal vein
2. Hepatic artery
3. Hepatic sinusoid
4. Central vein
5. Hepatic vein

Schematic diagram of a
classic liver lobule. Branches
of the hepatic artery (HA) and
hepatic portal vein (PV) empty
blood into hepatic sinusoids
(S), through which it flow
toward the central vein. The
endothelial lining of the
sinusoids is discontinuous
and is separated from the
radial plates of hepatocytes
by the space of Disse. Bile
canaliculi receive bile from
the hepatocytes that border
them and convey it toward the
bile ducts in the portal triads.
The arrows show that blood
and ile flow in opposite
directions.

D. CELL TYPES :
1. Hepatocytes
2. Kupffer's cells
3. Fat-storing cells
E. LIVER LOBULES :
1. Classic liver lobule
2. Portal lobule
3. Hepatic acinus (of Rappaport)

Schematic drawing illustrating the

territories of the classic liver
lobules, hepatic acini, and portal
lobules. The classic lobule has a
central vein (CV) and is outlined by
the solid lines that connect the
portal spaces (PS). The portal
lobules (lighter color) have their
centers in the portal spaces; they
are outlined by lines that connect
the central veins (upper triangle).
The portal lobules constitute the
portion of the liver from which bile
flows to a portal space. The hepatic
acinus (darker color) is the region
irrigated by a single distributing
vein (diamond shaped figure).
Zones of the hepatic acinus are
indicated by I, II and III.

LIVER LOBULE

LIVER

Reticuloendothelium

LIVER

Bile canaliculi

F. Biliary tract :
Bile canaliculus
bile ductules (also called cholangioles
or Hering's canals)
bile ducts
hepatic duct
common bile duct (ductus choledochus)
IV. GALL BLADDER :
A. Mucosa :
- Simple columnar epithelium
- Lamina propria
B. Muscularis :
- Smooth muscle fibers
C. Adventitia & Serosa

GALL BLADDER