Cardia
Diagram from cancer.gov: * 1. Body of stomach * 2. A plane passing through the incisura angularis on the Lesser curvature and the upper limit of the opposed dilatation on the Greater curvature divides the stomach into an upper Fundus * 3. Anterior wall * 4. Greater curvature * 5. The greater curvature of the stomach is directed mainly forward and is four or five times as long as the Lesser curvature. Lesser curvature * 6. The lesser curvature of the stomach, extending between the Cardiac and Pyloric orifices forms the right or posterior border of the stomach Cardia * 9. Pyloric sphincter * 10. The pylorus (from Greek πυλωρος = "gate guard" is the region of the Stomach that connects to the Duodenum. Pyloric antrum * 11. Pyloric antrum ( antrum, lesser cul-de-sac) is the initial portion of the pyloric part of the Stomach. Pyloric canal * 12. The pyloric canal, also known as the canalis pyloricus, is the opening between the Stomach and the Small intestine See also Angular notch * 13. Nearer the Pyloric end of the Stomach than its Cardiac end is a well-marked notch the angular incisure (or notch) which varies somewhat in Gastric canal * 14. Nearer the Pyloric end of the Stomach than its Cardiac end is a well-marked notch the angular incisure (or notch) which varies somewhat in Rugal folds
Diagram of the stomach, showing its anatomical landmarks ("Antrum cardiacum" marks the opening of the cardia). Rugae is a term used in Anatomy that refers to a series of ridges produced by folding of the wall of an organ.
Gray's	subject #247 1162
Dorlands/Elsevier	c_10/12214493

This article is about the cardia in the human body. Gray's Anatomy the Respiratory apparatus ( Apparatus Respiratorius Respiratory system Respiratory apparatus Elsevier, the world's largest Publisher of Medical and Scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group For the city in Greece, see Cardia (Thrace). Cardia (in Greek Kαρδία) anciently the chief town of the Thracian Chersonese (today Gallipoli peninsula was situated at the head of the

The cardia (also known as Z-line or esophagogastric junction^[1][2] or gastroesophageal junction^[3][4][5][6]) is the anatomical term for the junction orifice of the stomach and the esophagus. Anatomy (from the Greek anatomia, from ana separate apart from and temnein, to cut up cut open is a branch of Biology that is the consideration In Human anatomy, the stomach is a J-shaped hollow muscular organ of the Gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of Digestion, following The esophagus or oesophagus (see American and British English spelling differences) sometimes known as the gullet, is an organ in At the cardia, the mucosa of the esophagus transitions into gastric mucosa. The mucous membranes (or mucosae; singular mucosa) are linings of mostly endodermal origin covered in Epithelium, which are involved in The gastric mucosa is the Mucous membrane layer of the Stomach which contains the Glands and the Gastric pits.

The cardia is also the site of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES)^[7][8][9] (also termed cardiac sphincter^[10], gastroesophageal sphincter^[11], and esophageal sphincter^[12]).

Nomenclature and classification

There is disagreement in the academic anatomy community over whether the cardia is part of the stomach, part of the esophagus or a distinct entity, as described in this article. The difference is more than semantic when used in clinical studies and applied to individual patients.

Classical anatomy textbooks, and some other resources^[13][14], describe the cardia as the first of 4 regions of the stomach. Anatomy (from the Greek anatomia, from ana separate apart from and temnein, to cut up cut open is a branch of Biology that is the consideration This makes sense histologically because the mucosa of the cardia is the same as that of the stomach. Histology (from the Greek = 'tissue' is the study of the microscopic anatomy of cells and tissues of Plants and

Many recent writings describe it as the esophageal sphincter.

Function

The stomach generates strong acids and enzymes to aid in food digestion. In Computer science, ACID ( Atomicity Consistency Isolation Durability) is a set of properties that guarantee that Database transactions are Enzymes are Biomolecules that catalyze ( ie increase the rates of Chemical reactions Almost all enzymes are Proteins Digestion is the breaking down of chemicals in the body into a form that can be absorbed This digestive mixture is called gastric juice. Gastric juice is a strong Acidic liquid PH 1 to 3 in humans which is close to being colourless The inner lining of the stomach has several mechanisms to resist the effect of gastric juice on itself, but the mucosa of the esophagus does not. The esophagus is normally protected from these acids by a one-way valve mechanism at its junction with the stomach. This one-way valve is called the esophageal sphincter (ES), and prevents gastric juice from flowing back into the esophagus. The cardia (also known as Z-line or esophagogastric junction or gastroesophageal junction) is the anatomical term for the junction orifice of

During peristalsis, the ES allows the food bolus to pass into the stomach. In the Esophagus After food is chewed into a bolus it is swallowed to move it into the esophagus It prevents chyme, a mixture of bolus, stomach acid, and digestive enzymes, from returning up the esophagus. Chyme is the semifluid mass of partly digested food expelled by the stomach into the duodenum Gastric acid is one of the main Secretions of the Stomach, together with several Enzymes and Intrinsic factor. Digestion enzymes are Enzymes that break down Polymeric Macromolecules into their smaller building blocks The ES is aided in the task of keeping the flow of materials in one direction by the diaphragm. For other types of diaphragm see Diaphragm. In the Anatomy of Mammals the thoracic diaphragm is a sheet of Muscle

Microscopic shot of a cross section of human gastro-esophageal junction wall.

Histology

On histological examination, the junction can be identified by the following transition:^[15][16]

• nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium in the esophagus
• simple columnar epithelium in the stomach

However, in Barrett's esophagus, the epithelial distinction may vary, so the histological border may not be identical with the functional border. In Anatomy, squamous epithelium (from Latin squama, "scale" is an Epithelium characterised by its most superficial layer consisting The esophagus or oesophagus (see American and British English spelling differences) sometimes known as the gullet, is an organ in A simple columnar epithelium is a Columnar epithelium that is uni-layered In Human anatomy, the stomach is a J-shaped hollow muscular organ of the Gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of Digestion, following Barrett's esophagus (UK Oesophagus (sometimes called Barrett's syndrome, CELLO, columnar epithelium lined lower oesophagus or colloquially as Barrett's

The cardiac glands can be seen in this region. The cardiac glands of the Stomach secrete primarily Mucus. They are few in number and occur close to the Cardiac orifice where the Esophagus They can be distinguished from other stomach glands (fundic glands and pyloric glands) because the glands are shallow and simple tubular. The fundus glands (or fundic glands, or gastric glands) are found in the body and fundus of the Stomach. The pyloric glands are found in the Pyloric portion of the Stomach. If a Gland retains its shape as a tube throughout it is termed a tubular gland.

Pathology

Deficiencies in the strength or the efficiency of the LES lead to various medical problems involving acid damage on the esophagus.

In achalasia, one of the defects is failure of the LES to relax properly. Achalasia, also known as esophageal achalasia, achalasia cardiae, cardiospasm, dyssynergia esophagus, and esophageal aperistalsis

Removal

Surgical removal of this area is a called a cardiectomy a term that is also used to describe removal of the Heart. The cardia (also known as Z-line or esophagogastric junction or gastroesophageal junction) is the anatomical term for the junction orifice of The heart is a muscular organ in all Vertebrates responsible for pumping Blood through the Blood vessels by repeated rhythmic ^[17][18][19]

Etymology

The word comes from the Greek kardia meaning heart, the cardiac orifice of the stomach. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly

See also

• Artificial cardia, that can be used to fight, between other diseases, esophageal cancer, achalasia and gastroesophageal reflux disease. An artificial organ is a man-made device that is implanted into or integrated onto a Human to replace a natural organ, for the purpose of restoring a specific function Esophageal cancer is malignancy of the Esophagus. There are various subtypes Achalasia, also known as esophageal achalasia, achalasia cardiae, cardiospasm, dyssynergia esophagus, and esophageal aperistalsis Gastroesophageal reflux disease ( American English and Canadian English) or Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease ( British English, Hiberno-English

Additional images

Section of mucous membrane of human stomach, near the cardiac orifice. X 45.

References

1. ^ esophagogastric+junction at eMedicine Dictionary
2. ^ j_02/12465956 at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
3. ^ MedEd at Loyola Radio/curriculum/GI/Image105b.jpg
4. ^ Lab Exercises- Esophagus
5. ^ ACS :: What Is Cancer of the Esophagus?
6. ^ Definition of gastroesophageal junction - NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
7. ^ Digestive Disease Library
8. ^ Department of Physiology and Cell Biology
9. ^ med/2965 at eMedicine
10. ^ cardiac+sphincter at eMedicine Dictionary
11. ^ s_18/12748540 at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
12. ^ Patient Handout: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
13. ^ c_10/12214493 at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
14. ^ SUNY Labs 37:06-0103 - "Abdominal Cavity: The Stomach"
15. ^ Histology at BU 11101loa
16. ^ Histology at BU 11111ooa
17. ^ cardiectomy at dictionary. eMedicine is an online clinical medical knowledge base that was founded in 1996 by Scott Plantz and Richard Lavely two medical doctors Dorland's is the brand name of a family of medical reference works (including dictionaries, spellers word books and spell-check software) in various media (including Loyola University Chicago is a private co-educational Jesuit university established in Chicago in 1870 as Saint Ignatius College eMedicine is an online clinical medical knowledge base that was founded in 1996 by Scott Plantz and Richard Lavely two medical doctors eMedicine is an online clinical medical knowledge base that was founded in 1996 by Scott Plantz and Richard Lavely two medical doctors Dorland's is the brand name of a family of medical reference works (including dictionaries, spellers word books and spell-check software) in various media (including Dorland's is the brand name of a family of medical reference works (including dictionaries, spellers word books and spell-check software) in various media (including The State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn, better known as SUNY Downstate Medical Center, is an academic medical center and is the only one of its kind For similarly-named academic institutions see Education in Boston MA. For similarly-named academic institutions see Education in Boston MA. reference. com
18. ^ O. W. BARLOW. THE SURVIVAL OF THE CIRCULATION IN THE FROG WEB AFTER CARDIECTOMY (web). Journal of Pharmacology And Experimental Therapeutics, Vol. 35, Issue 1, 17-24, 1929. Retrieved on Feburuary 24, 2008.
19. ^ S. J. MELTZER (1913). THE EFFECT OF STRYCHNIN IN CARDIECTOMIZED FROGS WITH DESTROYED LYMPH HEARTS. American Journal of Physiology, Page xix.