Special features of the small intestine that improve its ability to absorb digested materials into the blood ?

6 Comments

1. E-ma says:

   February 19, 2010 at 2:14 pm

   The digested food can now pass into the blood vessels in the wall of the intestine. This process is called absorption. The inner walls of the small intestine have thousands of finger-like outgrowths called villi (singular villus). The villi increase the surface area for absorption of the digested food. Each villus has a network of thin and small blood vessels close to its surface. The surface of the villi absorbs the digested food materials. The absorbed substances are transported via the blood vessels to different organs of the body where they are used to build complex substances such as the proteins required by our body. This is called assimilation. The food that remains undigested and unabsorbed passes into the large intestine. The digestion of proteins into peptides and amino acids principally occurs in the stomach but some also occurs in the small intestine. The small intestine is where the most chemical digestion takes place:
2. kevin says:

   February 19, 2010 at 2:14 pm

   The small intestine has what are known as villi. These increase the surface area of the intestines and allows for greater absorption. The small intestine also has a great deal of capillaries, arteries, and veins. These lead to the "portal vein" which in turn leads to the liver and then throughout the rest of the body.

   Not only that, the small intestines are VERY long, which gives it more time to absorb nutrients and things of that sort.
3. caroline m says:

   February 19, 2010 at 2:14 pm

   they are called vili, they increase the surface area of the intestines’ wall.
4. ♥ Jasmine ♥ says:

   February 19, 2010 at 2:14 pm

   The small intestine has three structures to handle absorption, villi, microvilli and the circular folds. The purpose of villi, microvilli and the circular folds is to increase the area of absorption within the small intestine. Microvilli are small projections of the mucous membrane of the small intestine walls. The microvilli give the small intestine walls a fuzzy appearance and are also know as the brush border. The structure of Villi is very similar to the microvilli except that villi are substantially larger than microvilli.
5. james koh says:

   September 7, 2010 at 10:31 am

   The digested food can now pass into the blood vessels in the wall of the intestine. This process is called absorption. The inner walls of the small intestine have thousands of finger-like outgrowths called villi (singular villus). The villi increase the surface area for absorption of the digested food. Each villus has a network of thin and small blood vessels close to its surface. The surface of the villi absorbs the digested food materials. The absorbed substances are transported via the blood vessels to different organs of the body where they are used to build complex substances such as the proteins required by our body. This is called assimilation. The food that remains undigested and unabsorbed passes into the large intestine. The digestion of proteins into peptides and amino acids principally occurs in the stomach but some also occurs in the small intestine. The small intestine is where the most chemical digestion takes place:The small intestine has three structures to handle absorption, villi, microvilli and the circular folds. The purpose of villi, microvilli and the circular folds is to increase the area of absorption within the small intestine. Microvilli are small projections of the mucous membrane of the small intestine walls. The microvilli give the small intestine walls a fuzzy appearance and are also know as the brush border. The structure of Villi is very similar to the microvilli except that villi are substantially larger than microvilli.
6. Modern BCAA says:

   December 2, 2010 at 9:48 pm

   Hi – great write-up. Ahh, can’t live without good ol’ aminos! I have had a great amount of endurance if taking anything with sustamine in it. When it comes to eating though, I have recently become more into a Paleolithic regimen. It’s much more natural and how we evolved to eat. Take a look at it sometime and let me know your opinions. Anyhow, cool site… I’m subscribed to your feed now so thanks again!