Oesophagus

The oesophagus is a thin, muscular tube, roughly 25 cm long, that lies behind the trachea. It runs down through the neck and the central part of the rib cage, pierces the diaphragm, and joins the stomach. Its inner lining consists of mucus-secreting cells, and the mucus lubricates the passage of food. Histologically the oesophageal wall is built of longitudinal and circular muscle layers, and the rhythmic wave of contraction and relaxation of these m …