This video explains how mechanical and chemical digestion break food down and how the small intestine’s adaptations increase surface area to speed up absorption into the bloodstream.

This story is part of a series exploring human anatomy and physiology complexities. Each story in this collection showcases discoveries reshaping our understanding of the body's inner workings, ...

Villi are tiny projections in the small intestine that absorb nutrients from food. Diseases like celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease can damage villi and cause malabsorption. Villi are ...

It was the ancient Greeks who first divided the 20-foot length of the small intestine into three parts: The duodenum, the jejunum and the ileum. However, the organ may finally be ready for an update: ...

Researchers from the Organoid group (formerly the Clevers group) have improved human small intestinal organoids – miniature versions of the small intestine. This will help them to better study the ...