Library · Histology
Small intestine histology
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Under the microscope, the small intestine looks like a surface built to multiply contact. Circular folds rise from the wall. Villi stand on those folds like small fingers, and each absorptive cell carries microvilli, an even finer microscopic brush border.
These three levels increase the available surface without widening the tube. Digestion continues along this lining, and nutrients cross the epithelium to enter the blood or lymph.
In brief
The small intestine retains the digestive tract’s four basic tissue layers, but its inner surface is specially adapted for absorption. Circular folds raise the wall, villi project from the mucosa, and microvilli cover the surface of absorptive cells.
Each level adds surface area without requiring a wider tube. Villi are covered mainly by absorptive cells, while microvilli form a tiny border where digestion continues and nutrients begin crossing the epithelium.
Folds, fingerlike villi, and a microscopic brush border.
Sources (1)
- OpenStax, Rice University23.5 The Small and Large IntestinesPublished
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