HISTOLOGY OF THE DIGESTIVE

SYSTEM :
ALIMENTARY TRACT & GLANDS
NOV 2017
JOHANA , MD, M.Sc.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• IDENTIFY EACH PARTS OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT AND ITS FUNCTION
• IDENTIFY THE FOUR LAYERS OF THE TRACT WALL AND RELATE
STRUCTURAL VARIATIONS TO DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS
• IDENTIFY EACH LAYER COMPONENTS AND EXPLAIN RELATED
FUNCTIONS
• IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN DISTINGUISHING STRUCTURAL CHARACTERS
ALIMENTARY TRACT
 GENERAL FEATURES
Basic Histological Layers
1. Mucosa
a. Epithelium : stratified squamous (mouth, esophagus)
transforming into simple columnar epithelium (stomach – rectum)
b. Lamina Propria : loose connective tissue, contains blood &
lymphatic vessels
c. Muscularis Mucosae : thin layer of smooth muscle
2. Submucosa
dense irregular connective tissue, contains blood, lymphatic
vessels, and Submucosal plexus (Plexus of Meissner). Glands
and lymphoid nodules present in some areas (Brunner gl. In
duodenum, etc.)
3. Muscularis externae
a. inner circular & outer longitudinal smooth muscle in most
regions
b. myenteric plexus (Plexus of Auerbach) in between.
4. Serosa / Adventitia
Intraperitoneal (gaster, jejunum, ileum, transverse & sigmoid colon)
covered by tunica serosae  loose connective tissue covered by
simple squamous epithelium
Extraperitoneal (duodenum, ascending & descending colon) covered
by tunica adventitia
Layer Epithelium
Mouth Nonkeratinized Stratified
Squamous
Pharynx Nonkeratinized Stratified
Squamous
Esophagus Nonkeratinized Stratified
Squamous
Stomach Simple Columnar
L: Rugae, S: gastric pits
Small Simple Columnar
Intestine L: Plicae circulares, Villi S:
Crypts of Lieberkuhn, microvilli
Large Simple Columnar
Intestine L: Haustra S: Intestinal glands
Anus Nonkeratinized Stratified
Squamous
Histology of the Submucosa
Organ Specialized structures

Esophagus Submucosal mucous glands

Stomach None
Duodenum Brunner’s glands
Ileum Peyer’s Patches

Large Intestine None

Histology of the Muscularis
Organ Smooth muscle layers

Esophagus 2, circular and longitudinal

Stomach 3, oblique, circular, and longitudinal
Small Intestine 2, circular and longitudinal
Large Intestine 2, circular and longitudinal
PHARYNX : food ingestion --
swallowing
• MUCOSAL LAYER
• Epithelium : stratified squamous epithelium, non keratinized
• Lamina propria : loose connective tissue, blood & lymphatic vessels, submucosal
plexus (Meissner’s plexus), mucous glands, tonsils (palatine & pharyngeal)
• Muscularis mucosae
• SUBMUCOSAL LAYER
• MUSCULARIS LAYER (skeletal) :
• inner circular : circular pharyngeal constrictor m.
• outer longitudinal : longitudinal pharyngeal m.
• Adventitia
ESOPHAGUS : transports food from
pharynx to stomach
• MUCOSAL LAYER
• Epithelium : stratified squamous epithelium, non keratinized
• Lamina propria : loose connective tissue, blood & lymphatic vessels, submucosal
plexus (Meissner’s plexus), mucous glands
• Muscularis mucosae
• SUBMUCOSAL LAYER : Esophagal cardiac glands secreting mucous
• MUSCULARIS EXTERNAE LAYER :
• 2 layers: inner circular & outer longitudinal
• Skeletal in upper 1/3, mixed in middle, and smooth in 1/3 end
• Tunica adventitia
STOMACH (GASTER) : adding mucous, acid,
pepsin, lipase  blended into chime  duodenum
• GASTER IS DIVIDED INTO 4 REGIONS: CARDIA, FUNDUS, BODY, PYLORUS
• MUCOSAL LAYER
• Epithelium : surface mucous, neck mucous cells, stem cells, parietal / oxyntic cells, chief / zymogenic cells,
enteroendocrine cells
 Gastric Pit : epithelial invagination, opens at foveola gastricae in the surface
• Lamina propria
 gastric gland
• Muscularis mucosae
• SUBMUCOSAL LAYER
 Mucosal & submucosal layer fold temporarily into rugae at empty state
• MUSCULARIS LAYER :
• 3 layers : inner oblique, middle circular, outer longitudinal
 Middle circular m. forms pyloric sphincter at pylorus
• SEROUS LAYER : loose connective tissue covered by simple squamous epithelium
• surface mucous cells : simple columnar e., secretes neutral mucous
• neck mucous cells : simple columnar e., secretes acidic mucous
• stem cells / undifferentiated cells
• parietal / oxyntic cells : neck – base, large, round to pyramidal cells, one or two central nuclei, acidiophilic cytoplasm, secretes HCl & intrinsic
factor
• chief / zymogenic cells : smaller than parietal cells, base of the glands, basophilic cytoplasm, secretes pepsinogen & weak lipase
• enteroendocrine cells : mainly in the base, secretes gastrin, histamine, serotonin  DNES
• Fundus & body: shallow pit, long gland
• Cardia : shallow pit, coiled base, wide lumen
• Pylorus : deep pit, shallow gland
 SMALL INTESTINE : RECEIVES BILE, DIGESTIVE
ENZYMES, CHYME; CHEMICAL DIGESTION; ABSORPTION

• INTESTINUM TENUE : DUODENUM, JEJUNUM, ILEUM

• MUCOSAL LAYER
• Epithelium : enterocytes, goblet cells, M cells, Paneth cells, enteroendocrine cells, stem cells
• Lamina propria
Villi : fingerlike projections of epithelium & lamina propria, central lacteal (blood & lymphatic vessels in loose connective tissue center) 
increase absorptive surface
Intestinal glands (crypts of Lieberkuhn)
Lymphoid nodules (Peyer’s patches) in ileum
• Muscularis mucosae
• SUBMUCOSAL LAYER
 Submucosal gland (Brunner’s glands) in duodenum : secretes alkaline mucous to protect intestinal wall from high pH of chyme
 Mucosal & submucosal layer fold permanently into plicae circulares (valves of Kerckring)
• MUSCULARIS LAYER :
• Typical 2 layers : inner circular, outer longitudinal
• SEROUS LAYER : covers jejunum & ileum (duodenum is covered by tunica adventitia)
• Enterocytes : tall simple columnar e.,
microvilli at apical end forming striated
border, contains disaccharidases &
peptidases,
• goblet cells : secretes glycoprotein mucin to
protect & lubricate intestinal surface
• M cells : transport antigen to lymphoid
nodules
• Paneth cells : secretes lysozyme &
defensing
• enteroendocrine cells : secretes secretin (↑
pancreatic & biliary bicarbonate),
cholecystokinin (↑ gallbladder contraction
& pancreatic enzyme), gastric inhibitory
peptide (↓ gastric acid), motilin (↑
intestinal motility)
• stem cells
LARGE INTESTINE : WATER
ABSORPTION, CONVERTS
UNDIGESTED FOOD INTO FAECES
• MUCOSAL LAYER
• Epithelium : simple columnar e. with abundant goblet cells
• Lamina propria : many lymphoid nodules
• Muscularis mucosae
• SUBMUCOSAL LAYER
 Hemorrhoidal plexus of veins MUSCULARIS LAYER :
• MUSCULARIS LAYER
 typical, Outer longitudinal layer gathered into 3 thick longitudinal bands (teniae coli)
• SEROUS & ADVENTITIA LAYER
 Outpocketing of fats (appendices epiploicae)
SALIVARY GLANDS
• Intercalated ducts lined by simple cuboidal e.
• Cells:
• serous cells : small, basophilic, serous (watery)
secretions
• Mucous cells : larger, acidophilic, foamy
cytopoasm, thick secretions
• Myoepithelial cells : at basal lamina, contractile,
stellate shaped
• Plasma cells in connective tissue secretes IgA

• PAROTID  mostly serous

• SUBMANDIBULAR  mixed, mostly serous,
serous cells located peripherally forming serous
demilune
• SUBLINGUAL GLANDS  mixed, mostly mucous
 PANCREAS
• ENDOCRINE & EXOCRINE PARTS
• EXOCRINE PARTS
• Acinar cells secreting alkaline juice and digestive
enzymes (proteases as inactive form, such as
trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen, etc., lipase, α-
amylase, nucleases)
• Secretion controlled by CCK & Secretin from small
intestine