Question

The single layer of columnar epithelial cells lining the small intestine has a brush border of microvilli. how do you think microvilli increase absorption?

Answer 1

Microvilli are the tiny projections in the cell lining the villi. It increases the surface area of absorption thereby increasing absorption.

Microvilli on the surface of epithelial cells such as those lining the intestine increase the cell’s surface area and thus facilitate the absorption of ingested food and water molecules. Microvilli are also sometimes called the intestinal brush border.

The combination of circular folds, villi and microvilli helps absorption by increasing the surface area of the small intestine by 30 to 600 times.

Where the Brush border of small intestine cells is formed ?

The innermost layer lining the lumen of the alimentary canal is the mucosa. This layer forms irregular folds (rugae) in the stomach and small finger-like folding called villi in the small intestine.

The cells lining the villi produce numerous microscopic projections called microvilli giving a brush border appearance found on the apical surface of some epithelial cells. These modifications increase the surface area enormously and help in secretion and absorption.

Microvilli are covered in the plasma membrane, which encloses cytoplasm and microfilaments. Though these are cellular extensions, there are little or no cellular organelles present in the microvilli. Hence, the brush border of small intestine cells is formed of microvilli.

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