Lower Esophageal Sphincter: Normal Structure and Function

The esophagus acts as a conduit for the coordinated transport of food from the mouth to the stomach. Developmentally, it can be identified as a distinct structure from 4 weeks of gestation. At birth, it has a length of approximately 8 cm, which doubles in the first years of extrauterine life. Each of the three germ layers (endoderm, ectoderm, and mesoderm) is responsible for esophageal development, and their interactions are crucial for the development of the mucosa, muscular coats, and intrinsic nervous system.