To understand the physiology and pathology of the esophagus, it is necessary to know the mechanical properties and their dependence on the structural components. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of collagenase and elastase on the morphological and biomechanical properties in the no-load and zero-stress states in the @entity35 esophagus. Twenty tissue rings from each esophagus of seven normal @entity35 were sectioned in an organ bath containing @entity460 -free Krebs solution with dextran and EGTA. After the rings were photographed in the no-load state, 8 of the 20 rings were @entity121 and the rings were transferred to four different solutions containing collagenase, elastase, or corresponding control solutions. The rings were cut radially to obtain the zero-stress state and photographed again. The thickness, area, and opening angle were measured from the digitized images. The collagen and @entity4116 area fractions were determined from histological slides with Van Gieson and Weigert's elastic stain. The opening angles and residual strain did not differ in the nonseparated enzyme-treated rings and control rings. However, in the separated mucosa-submucosa ring the opening angle was significantly smaller after treatment than that in control rings (P < 0.01). Collagenase and elastase reduced collagen and @entity4116 in the @entity5932 about 40% in the nonseparated wall and 54% in the @entity5932 (P < 0.01). Collagenase and elastase increased the thickness in the @entity5932 compared to the control (P < 0.05). Disconnection between the epithelia and the lamina propria was histologically observed after elastase digestion. In conclusion, collagenase and elastase caused the opening angle and the residual strain in the @entity5932 to decrease. The opening angle of the @entity5932 depended to some extent on the fraction of collagen and @entity4116 .

The effect of digestion of collagen and XXXX on histomorphometry and the zero-stress state in @entity35 esophagus.

@entity4116 :: ('25043(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['elastin'] @entity5932 :: ('MESH:C565008', 'Disease') :: ['mucosa-submucosa layer', 'separated mucosa-submucosa layer'] @entity460 :: ('MESH:D002118', 'Chemical') :: ['calcium'] @entity35 :: ('10116', 'Species') :: ['rat', 'rats'] @entity121 :: ('MESH:D009135', 'Disease') :: ['separated into mucosa-submucosa and muscle rings']
@entity4116 :: (25043(Tax:10116),Gene) :: ['elastin']
