Lamina propria
Layers of Stomach Wall: 1. Serosa 2. Tela subserosa 3. Muscularis 4. Oblique fibers of muscle wall 5. Circular muscle layer 6. Longitudinal muscle layer 7. Submucosa 8. Lamina muscularis mucosae 9. Mucosa 10. Lamina propria 11. Epithelium 12. Gastric glands 13. Gastric pits 14. Villous folds 15. Gastric areas (gastric surface)
Section of the human esophagus. Moderately magnified. The section is transverse and from near the middle of the gullet. a. Fibrous covering. b. Divided fibers of longitudinal muscular coat. c. Transverse muscular fibers. d. Submucous or areolar layer. e. Muscularis mucosae. f. Mucous membrane, with vessels and part of a lymphoid nodule. g. Stratified epithelial lining. h. Mucous gland. i. Gland duct. m’. Striated muscular fibers cut across.

The lamina propria is a constituent of the moist linings known as mucous membranes or mucosa, which line various tubes in the body (such as the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract, and the urogenital tract).

The lamina propria (more correctly lamina propria mucosae) is a thin layer of loose connective tissue which lies beneath the epithelium and together with the epithelium constitutes the mucosa. As its Latin name indicates it is a characteristic component of the mucosa, "the mucosa's own special layer". Thus the term mucosa or mucous membrane always refers to the combination of the epithelium plus the lamina propria.^[1]

The lamina propria contains capillaries and a central lacteal (lymph vessel) in the small intestine, as well as lymphoid tissue. Lamina propria also contains glands with the ducts opening on to the mucosal epithelium, that secrete mucus and serous secretions.

[edit] References

[edit] See also

• Submucosa
• Basal lamina (also known as Lamina densa)

[edit] External links

• Lamina+propria at eMedicine Dictionary
• Anatomy Atlases - Microscopic Anatomy, plate 10.198
• Histology at BU 10802loa - "Digestive System: Alimentary Canal - esophagus "
• Histology at BU 03301loa - "Connective Tissue: lamina propria; loose connective tissue "
• UIUC Histology Subject 272
• Organology at UC Davis Digestive/mammal/system1/system3 - "Mammal, whole system (LM, Low)"
• Slide at ucla.edu

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