Learn about conditions like celiac disease that can affect them. They serve a critical role in digestion, absorbing nutrients from food and. 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. The villi of the small intestine project into the intestinal cavity, greatly increasing the surface area for food absorption and adding digestive secretions. Villi are about 0.5 to 1.5 mm long and are covered in even smaller projections called microvilli, which create a brush border effect
Each villus contains a network of blood capillaries and lymphatic vessels (lacteals) to transport absorbed nutrients effectively.
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