Question:
Why does absorption of digested food occur mainly in the small intestine ?
Solution:
- Digestion of food is completed only in small intestine.
- Wall of the intestine bears a number of finger-like projections called villi. Villi provide a large surface area to the lining layer for absorption.
- The epithelium, lining the villi, is made of cells having a number of very fine projections known as microvilli. Microvilli are specialised for absorption.
- Wall of the intestine, especially the interior of villi, has lymph and blood vessels for carrying the absorbed food to different parts of the body.