This low-power image of the esophagus shows the
characteristic organization of the wall of the digestive
tract. The lumen of the esophagus is lined by a mucosa that sits on a connective tissue submucosa.
Beneath the submucosa is the muscularis propria
(externa) that consists of an inner circular and an outer
longitudinal layer. The connective tissue surrounding
the esophagus in the thorax is an adventitia, while that
surrounding the short portion of the esophagus in the
abdominal cavity is covered by a serosa.
Comment
In the human esophagus, the upper third of the
muscularis propria consists of visceral striated muscle
fibers, the middle third has both visceral striated and
smooth muscle, and the lower third contains primarily
smooth muscle.
Preparation
Paraffin section, hematoxylin and eosin
View
Low-power light microscopy
Specimen
Esophagus
Image Credit
V. Eroschenko, Ph.D.
Department of Biological Sciences
WAMI Medical Program
University of Idaho
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