Answer:
The intestines are two organs of the Gastrointestinal tract whose main function is to carry out the digesting and absorption, as well as expulsion of waste, in the body. In order to carry out these functions, intestines are not just covered with a muscular lining, but also with different types of epithelial cells that form the lumen, or the interior, of the organs. These cells have diverse functions, but probably two of the most important are: the production of mucus, and the capacity to absorb and carry into the bloodstream, different nutrients present in food. One final job is to also help push waste products and water until this exits as fecal matter.
The intestinal cells are: enterocytes, goblet cells, enteroendocrine cells, paneth cells, microfold cells, cup and tuft cells. All of these form from stem cells at the crypts inside the intestinal structure and one of the most amazing features of two of them: enterocytes and goblet cells is that both have at their apical surface, microvilli, hair-like extensions that increase the surface of the intestine to increase absorption capacity. It is this feature that is common between these two of the most common of the intestinal cells. However, while enterocytes are exclusively dedicated to absorption, goblet cells also have the capacity of producing mucus, a fluid that covers the intestinal lumen and facilitates the functions of the intestines.
