Page 558 - Atlas of Histology with Functional Correlations

esophagus abruptly changes to simple columnar, mucus-secreting gastric

epithelium (10) of the cardiac region of the stomach.

At the esophageal–stomach junction, the esophageal glands proper (7) may
be seen in the submucosa (8) with their excretory ducts (4, 6) coursing through
the muscularis mucosae (5) and the lamina propria (2) of the esophagus into
its lumen. In the lamina propria (2) of the esophagus near the stomach junction

are the esophageal cardiac glands (3). Both the esophageal glands proper (7)
and the cardiac glands (3) secrete mucus.

The lamina propria of the esophagus (2) continues into the lamina propria of
the stomach (12), where it is filled with glands (16, 17) and diffuse lymphatic

tissue. The lamina propria of the stomach (12) is penetrated by shallow gastric
pits (11) into which empty the gastric glands (16, 17).

The simple tubular cardiac glands (17) are limited to the transition region,
the cardia of the stomach, and are lined with pale-staining, mucus-secreting
columnar cells. Below the cardiac region of the stomach are the simple tubular

gastric glands (16), some showing basal branching.

In contrast to the cardiac glands (17), the gastric glands (16) contain four cell
types: the pale-staining mucous neck cells (13); large, eosinophilic parietal
cells (14); basophilic chief or zymogenic cells (15); and several endocrine cells

(not illustrated), collectively called the enteroendocrine cells.

The muscularis mucosae of the esophagus (5) also continue with the
muscularis mucosae of the stomach (18). In the esophagus, the muscularis
mucosae (5) are usually a single layer of longitudinal smooth muscle fibers,
whereas in the stomach, a second layer of the inner circular layer of smooth

muscle is added.

The submucosa (8, 19) and the muscularis externa (9, 21) of the esophagus
are continuous with those of the stomach. Blood vessels (20) are found in the
submucosa (8, 19) from which smaller blood vessels are distributed to other

regions of the stomach.

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