Exercise No.

20
Histology of Digestive Organs
Questions:
1. What histological layers were common to all the specimens studied?
Mucosa
Submucosa
Muscularis
Serosa
2. What glands are present in the tunica mucosa of the stomach, small intestine and large
intestine?
Glands present in the Tunica Mucosa
Tunica Mucosa of:
Glands Present:
Pyloric Glands
Gastric glands:
Cardiac Glands
Stomach
Fundus or Oxyntic
Glands
Lenticular Glands
Mucous Glands
Small intestine
Intestinal glands
Large intestine
Intestinal Glands
3. Identify the mucosal folds of the stomach, small intestine and large intestine. Compare these in
terms of their length, width, and abundance.

Mucosal folds

Stomach
Rugae or Gastric
Folds

Small intestine
Villi or Circular
folds

Large intestine
Ileocecal sphincter

Criteria
Length of the
Mucosal Folds

Stomach
Half of the length of
the stomach

Small intestine

Large intestine
Shorter compared
to the two folds

Width of the
Mucosal Folds
Abundance of
the Mucosal
Folds

Folds are wider /

thicker
More abundant in
the lower and
narrower region of
the stomach

10mm (4 in)
2/3 of the
circumference of
a gut
More abundant
in the jejunum
but absent in
proximal
duodenum and
distal ileum

Thin

More abundant in
the ascending colon

4. Cite the differences among the histological layers of the stomach, small intestine and large
intestine. Consider the following factors:
a. Thickness of layers
b. Presence of additional sub-layers
c. Type of mucosal folds
d. Specific glands present
e. Presence of lacteal system

Criteria

Stomach

Mucosa

Thickness of
layers

Submuc
osa

Muculari
s
Serosa

Presence of additional
sub layers

Thickest
Thicker than the
small intestine but
thinner than the
large intestine
Thicker than the
small intestine but
thinner than the
large intestine
Thickest of the
three

3 layers
of
smooth
muscle:

Outer
longitudi
nal layer

Middle
circular
layer
Inner
oblique
layer

Small
intestine
Thick
Thinnest

Large intestine
Thinnest of the
three
Thickest of the
three

Outer: thicker
Inner : thinner

Thickest of the
three

Thinner than
the large
intestine

Thicker than
the small
intestine
External
Outer
layer of
thinner
longitudi
layer
nal
2
2
smooth
layer
layer
muscle
s of
s of
smoo
smoo
th
th
Inner
Internal
muscl thicker musc
of
e:
le:
layer
circular
smooth
muscle

Type of mucosal folds

Rugae or Gastric
Folds

Villi or Circular
folds

Specific glands present

Gastric glands

Intestinal
glands
Duodenal
glands

Intestinal
glands

Presence of lacteal
system

None

Present

None

Ileocecal
sphincter