[Esophageal wall structure in people of elderly and senile age]

Using histological methods, the esophageal wall structure and the cytoarchitectonics of mucous membrane were studied in the individuals of elderly (n = 5) and senile (n = 10) age. The control group included the individuals of I (n = 3) and II (n = 3) periods of mature age. It was demonstrated that with advancing age in most cases the destructive processes took place in the epithelium (delamination of the layer, separation of large fragments, formation of microerosions etc.) in most of the studied cases. Lymphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils were found between the epithelial cells; the numbers of infiltrating cells was increased 2-3 times during aging. Mucosal lamina propria and the submucosa, in particular, were characterized by the thickening of the bundles of collagen fibers. A two-fold increase in the number of the cells of the fibroblast lineage was found. The number of leukocytes in the lamina propria was increased by the eldery age in the upper and lower parts of the esophagus (3.5 and 1.75 times respectively). The changes in lamina muscularis were manifested by its thinning, delamination and myocyte dissociation. Remodeling of the muscular tunic was less pronounced. The degree of changes increased distally and varied widely depending on the individual peculiarities.