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what are villai

Villi, are finger-like projections in the small intestine that help absorb food more efficiently in the body. The small intestine is an organ in the body in which most digestion occurs. Food entering into the body is liquefied and partially digested in the stomach. It then passes into the small intestine. The villi are the parts that absorb nutrients from food and pass them into the bloodstream.

Villi are also covered with microvilli. The purpose of both structures is to increase the small intestine’s surface area so that nutrient absorption is enhanced. Villi increase the surface area where substances are able to be absorbed in the small intestine 30-fold while microvilli increase it 60-fold. This increases the efficiency of nutrient absorption. Each villus is also coated in enzymes that aid digestion.


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