Ultrastructural Study of Cell Populations in the Gastric Transplant after Esophagoplasty

Ultrastructural characteristics of cell populations in the gastric tube mucosa were studied after plastic surgery for benign esophageal disease. The foveolar epithelium mainly consisted of secretory active mucocytes with small changes in cytoplasmic organelles. Functionally immature parietal cells and gland cells in the epithelium of fundal glands were characterized by atrophy and degeneration. Ultrastructural features of the epithelial compartment attest to adaptive cellular hypersecretion of the mucoid against the background of impaired acid production and enzyme secretion. The stromal compartment was characterized by low pinocytotic activity of endothelial cells in blood vessels and polymorphism of smooth muscle cells. Hypertrophic leiomyocytes were shown to dominate in the population of these cells. Some cells had signs of biosynthesis and reduction of filaments. Single leiomyocytes were degenerated. The observed ultrastructural modification of epithelial and connective cells can be interpreted as structural adaptation of the gastric transplant.