Villi can absorb nutrients through their tops, sides, and bases, dramatically increasing the area dedicated to nutrient absorption. In a human, each villus is about 1 millimeter long, or roughly 13 ...

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have found that the small intestine grows in response to pregnancy in mice. This ...

By bypassing major portions of the small intestine, Roux-en-Y bypass procedures drastically reduce the surface area for absorption. Villi and microvilli give the small intestine a much greater ...