Histology of Esophagus |
Mucosa | Submucosa | Muscularis | Adventitia |
Mucosa
Stratified squamous epithelium:
a flatten surface with a few keratohyalin
granules,
but not cornified;
just a little above the cardia(
Zigzag line or Z-Z line ) an abrupt
transition takes
place between the statified squamous
epithelium of the esophagus
and the columnar epithelium of the stomach
Submucosa
The submucosa is quite dense and contains both elastic
and collagen fiber. The
submucosa contains Meissner's plexus
and some blood vessels
Muscularis
An inner layer ( circular layer )
and outer longitudinal layer
with thin layer of
connective tissue,
in which embedded the myenteric plexus
of Auerbach.
Adventitia A loose connective tissue connecting the esophagus to its surrounding structure
Glands
Two types of
glands : esophageal glands proper (
deep glands) and cardiac
glands
( superficial glands )
are found below the level of the cricopharyngeus muscle and
just above the cardia.
The deeper glands
are small racemose glands of mucous type, their ducts penetrate
the muscularis mucosae located in the submucosa
The superficial glands
are located in the lamina proper ( tunica
propria ) not in the
submucosal layer,
Nerve supply |
Innervation
Contain efferent
and afferent
fibers → impulse to and from
the vessels,
glands
and muscular
and mucus coats of the viscus
Parasympathetic
Are carried in the vagus nerves,
the parasympathetic fibers supplying the
striated mm. in the pharynx
and upper part of the esophagus.
The vagi
intercommunicate with the filaments from
the paravetebral sympathetic trunks
and their branches,
so as neck downward, they are really mixed
parasympathetic-sympathetic nerves.
In the neck, esophagus received twings from the recurrent laryngeal nerves
run upward on each side in the grooves between esophagus and trachea.
On the right side,
it winds below subclavian artery
and combinds vagus nerve.
On the left side,
it curves beneath the aortic arch
combinding vagus returns upward.
In the thoracic
esophagus, in the superior mediastinum
receives impulse from
the left recurrent laryngeal nerve and
vagus nerve; in the hilum,
vagus gives
off branches unite with the sympathetic
trunks to form pulmonary
plexus
( the smaller anterior and larger posterior ). Below
the lung roots, the vagus
usually break up into 2 to 4 branches,
closely apposed to the esophagus.
Sympathetic
Located mainly in th 4th to 6th thoracic segments
of the spinal cord. The
preganglionic fibers
emerge in the anterior
spinal nerve roots
as their parent
cell. They mixed
rami communicants and pass to paravertebral
sympathetic
ganglionated trunks.
Physiology |