villus
)
Cross section of the small intestine showing the villi and their blood supply. There are hundreds of villi for every square millimetre of the small intestine (itself 5 m/16 ft in length).
Small fingerlike projection extending into the interior of the small intestine and increasing the absorptive area of the intestinal wall. Digested nutrients, including sugars and amino acids, pass into the villi and are carried away by the circulating blood.
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