microscopic finger like projections of mucosa in the small intestine are called intestinal villi.
microscopic finger like projections of mucosa in the small intestine are called intestinal villi.
microscopic finger like projections of mucosa in the small intestine are called?
intestinal villi
intestinal villus









































intestinal villi (singular: villus) are small, finger-like projections that extend into the lumen of the small 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 much smaller than a single villus. the intestinal villi are much smaller than any of the circular folds in the intestine.
intestinal villus
digested food is now able to pass into the blood vessels in the wall of the intestine through either diffusion or active transport. the small intestine is the site where most of the nutrients from ingested food are absorbed. the inner wall, or mucosa, of the small intestine is lined with simple columnar epithelial tissue. structurally, the mucosa is covered in wrinkles or folds called plicae circulares, which are considered permanent features in the wall of the organ. they are distinct from rugae which are considered non-permanent or temporary allowing for distention and contraction. from the plicae circulares project microscopic finger-like pieces of tissue called villi (latin for "shaggy hair"). the individual epithelial cells also have finger-like projections known as microvilli. the functions of the plicae circulares, the villi, and the microvilli are to increase the amount of surface area available for the absorption of nutrients, and to limit the loss of said nutrients to intestinal fauna.
small intestine