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Intestinal Villus: Intestinal Villi (Singular: Villus) Are Small, Finger-Like

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56 views

Intestinal Villus: Intestinal Villi (Singular: Villus) Are Small, Finger-Like

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Crow Lord
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Intestinal villus

Intestinal villi (singular: villus) are small, finger-like


projections that extend into the lumen of the small
Intestinal villus
intestine. Each villus is approximately 0.5–1.6 mm in
length (in humans), and has many microvilli projecting
from the enterocytes of its epithelium which collectively
form the striated or brush border. Each of these microvilli
are about 1 µm in length, around 1000 times shorter than a
single villus. The intestinal villi are much smaller than any
of the circular folds in the intestine.

Villi increase the internal surface area of the intestinal


walls making available a greater surface area for
absorption. An increased absorptive area is useful because
digested nutrients (including monosaccharide and amino
acids) pass into the semipermeable villi through diffusion,
which is effective only at short distances. In other words,
increased surface area (in contact with the fluid in the
lumen) decreases the average distance travelled by nutrient
molecules, so effectiveness of diffusion increases. The villi
are connected to the blood vessels so the circulating blood
then carries these nutrients away. Micrograph of the small intestine mucosa
showing villi – top half of image. H&E stain

Contents
Structure
Microanatomy
Function
Clinical significance
Villous atrophy
Additional images
References
Further reading

Structure

Microanatomy

Section of duodenum of cat. X 60.


Details
Part of Wall of small intestine
System Digestive system
Identifiers
Latin small intestinales
TA98 A05.6.01.011 (http://www.unifr.ch/ifaa/
Public/EntryPage/TA98%20Tree/Entit
Vertical section of a Transverse section y%20TA98%20EN/05.6.01.011%20En
villus from the dog's of a villus, from the tity%20TA98%20EN.htm)
small intestine. X 80. human intestine. X TA2 2941 (https://ta2viewer.openanatomy.
(Simple columnar 350. org/?id=2941)
epithelium labeled a. Basement
at right, third from membrane, here FMA 15072 76464, 15072 (https://bioporta
top.) somewhat shrunken l.bioontology.org/ontologies/FMA/?p=
away from the classes&conceptid=http%3A%2F%2F
epithelium. purl.org%2Fsig%2Font%2Ffma%2Ff
b. Lacteal. ma76464,)
c. Columnar Anatomical terminology
epithelium.
d. Its striated border.
e. Goblet cells.
f. Leucocytes in
epithelium.
f’. Leucocytes below
epbithelium.
g. Blood vessels.
h. Muscle cells cut
across.

MicroCT-based MicroCT-based
volume projection of volume projection of
the jejunal mucosa the jejunal mucosa
of a chicken. Virtual of a chicken. Virtual
volume block with horizontal cut
vertically truncated through villi.
villi in oblique view. Scalebar = 0.2 mm.
Scalebar = 0.2 mm.

Enterocytes, along with goblet cells, represent the principal cell types of the epithelium of the villi in the small
intestine.[1]
Function
There, the villi and the microvilli increase intestinal absorptive surface area approximately 30-fold and 600-
fold, respectively, providing exceptionally efficient absorption of nutrients in the lumen.[2]

There are also enzymes (enterocyte digestive enzyme) on the surface for digestion. Villus capillaries collect
amino acids and simple sugars taken up by the villi into the blood stream. Villus lacteals (lymph capillary)
collect absorbed chylomicrons, which are lipoproteins composed of triglycerides, cholesterol and amphipathic
proteins, and are taken to the rest of the body through the lymph fluid.

Villi are specialized for absorption in the small intestine as they have a thin wall, one cell thick, which enables
a shorter diffusion path. They have a large surface area so there will be more efficient absorption of fatty acids
and glycerol into the blood stream. They have a rich blood supply to keep a concentration gradient.[3]

Structure of a villus
(see reference
quoted in text)

Clinical significance

Villous atrophy

In diseases of the small intestine the villi can become flattened due to
the effects of inflammation, and the villi can sometimes disappear.
This deterioration is known as villous atrophy, and is often a feature
of coeliac disease.[4]
Different stages of coeliac disease
Additional images
Microvilli (shaggy
hair) show electron
dense plaques
(open arrow) at their
apices.

References
1. http://www.copewithcytokines.org/cope.cgi?key=Paneth%20cells
2. Andreas Bernkop-Schnürch. "Oral Delivery of Macromolecular Drugs - Barriers" (https://www.s
pringer.com/biomed/pharmacology%20&%20toxicology/book/978-1-4419-0199-6). Springer.
3. "Digestion: Digestive System, Enzymes, Absorption in the Small Intestine" (https://web.archive.
org/web/20161118053805/http://www.scienceaid.co.uk/biology/humans/digestion.html).
Archived from the original (http://scienceaid.co.uk/biology/humans/digestion.html) on 2016-11-
18. Retrieved 2014-12-30.
4. "Causes" (https://www.coeliac.org.uk/information-and-support/coeliac-disease/about-coeliac-di
sease/causes/). Coeliac UK. Retrieved 12 July 2020.

Further reading
C. W. Chan, Y. K. Leung and K. W. Chan (2014). "Microscopic anatomy of the vasculature of the
human intestinal villus - a study with review". European Journal of Anatomy, 18 (4): 291–301.

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This page was last edited on 11 March 2021, at 02:40 (UTC).

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