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Small Intestine definitions

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  • Duodenum
    The first section of the small intestine, mixing chyme with bile and pancreatic juice, and releasing alkaline mucus.
  • Jejunum
    The middle section of the small intestine, primarily responsible for nutrient absorption through microvilli.
  • Ileum
    The longest section of the small intestine, absorbing bile salts and remaining nutrients.
  • Peristalsis
    A wave of muscle contraction that moves chyme through the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Segmentation
    Non-adjacent muscle contractions in the small intestine aiding in mechanical digestion and mixing.
  • Microvilli
    Membrane projections on enterocytes, increasing surface area for absorption and containing brush border enzymes.
  • Enterocytes
    Simple columnar cells specialized for absorption in the small intestine, lining the villi.
  • Goblet cells
    Cells in the intestinal mucosa that secrete mucus to lubricate the alimentary canal.
  • Peyer's patches
    Aggregated lymphoid nodules in the ileum protecting against pathogens from the large intestine.
  • Paneth cells
    Cells at the base of intestinal crypts secreting antimicrobial agents like lysozyme and defensins.
  • Brush border
    The microvilli-covered surface of enterocytes, containing enzymes for the final steps of digestion.
  • Circular folds
    Folds of the mucosa and submucosa in the small intestine, increasing surface area and slowing chyme flow.
  • Ileocecal valve
    The sphincter separating the ileum from the cecum of the large intestine, controlling chyme passage.
  • Chyme
    The semi-fluid mass of partly digested food that moves from the stomach to the small intestine.
  • Lacteal
    A lymph vessel within the villi of the small intestine, absorbing lipids from digested food.