key term - Submucosa

Definition

The submucosa is a dense layer of connective tissue found just beneath the mucosa, providing structural support and housing blood vessels, nerves, and glands that are essential for the digestive process. It plays a crucial role in nutrition absorption and signal transmission within the digestive tract.

Related terms

Mucosa:

The innermost layer of the gastrointestinal tract lining that comes into direct contact with digested food, responsible for secretion and absorption.

Muscularis: A layer of muscle located outside the submucosa that helps in movement of food through peristalsis along the digestive tract.

Serosa:

The outermost layer of the organ in the abdominal cavity, providing protection against friction between adjacent organs