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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Production, Characterization and Potential Uses of a 3D Tissue-engineered Human Esophageal Mucosal Model

Production, Characterization and Potential Uses of a 3D Tissue-engineered Human Esophageal Mucosal Model

Published on: May 18, 2015

Gastroesophageal sphincter: a model

O Korn¹, H J Stein, T H Richter

¹Department of Surgery, Technische Universität München, Germany.

Diseases of the Esophagus : Official Journal of the International Society for Diseases of the Esophagus

|April 1, 1997

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The lower esophageal sphincter

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Area of Science:

Gastroenterology
Anatomy
Physiology

Background:

The human lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is traditionally viewed as a muscular ring.
However, anatomical evidence suggests its function may derive from clasp and sling muscle fibers at the gastroesophageal junction.

Purpose of the Study:

To mechanically model and assess the functional contribution of clasp and sling fibers to the lower esophageal sphincter competence.

Main Methods:

A mechanical model simulating clasp and sling fibers using elastic bands around pig gastroesophageal junctions.
Rapid pullback manometry with radial pressure transducers to measure opening pressure.
Construction of 3D pressure images to visualize the high-pressure zone.

Main Results:

The elastic band model successfully created a competent high-pressure zone mimicking in vivo human LES pressure images.
The vector volume of the high-pressure zone correlated with opening pressure.
Individual resting pressure and length were insufficient to predict gastroesophageal junction competence in the model.

Conclusions:

The combined action of clasp and sling fibers effectively establishes the manometric lower esophageal sphincter.
This mechanical model supports the anatomical hypothesis of LES function.