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The Normal Esophagus—Embryology, Structure, and Function

  • Chapter
Pathology of the Esophagus

Abstract

The esophagus becomes recognizable at the 2.5-mm stage (approximately the 3rd week of gestation) as a constriction separating pharynx and stomach. When it reaches 5 mm (32 days) it is a short tube, which rapidly elongates during the 6th and 7th weeks, mostly by cephalad migration of the laryngopharyngeal area.1,2 Lateral ridges of proliferating epithelium rapidly develop in the uppermost segment, dividing the lumen into an anterior and a posterior portion. Necrosis of epithelium in the septa thus formed and immigration of mesenchyme cause separation of the trachea and esophagus by the 36th day.3

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Horatio Enterline (Professor of Surgical Pathology)

  2. Kaiser-Permanente Regional Laboratory, 97015, Clackamas, OR, USA

    John Thompson

Authors
  1. Horatio Enterline
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  2. John Thompson
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© 1984 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

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Enterline, H., Thompson, J. (1984). The Normal Esophagus—Embryology, Structure, and Function. In: Pathology of the Esophagus. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5216-0_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5216-0_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9741-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-5216-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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