Findings

At higher power, the gastroesophageal junction is clearly shown to consist of the stratified squamous epithelium of the esophageal mucosa and the simple columnar epithelium of the gastric mucosa. Here, the gastric mucosa consists of gastric pits and gastric glands that are primarily lined by pale-staining mucus-secreting cells.

Comment

A characteristic of the gastric mucosa in cardiac region of the stomach, including the gastro-esophageal junction, is that the gastric glands contain primarily mucus-secreting cells.

Preparation

Paraffin section, hematoxylin and eosin

View

Medium-power light microscopy

Specimen

Gastro-esophageal junction

Image Credit

V. Eroschenko, Ph.D.
Department of Biological Sciences
WAMI Medical Program
University of Idaho