Plicae and intestinalvilli A) secrete digestive enzymes B) carry products of digestion that will not pass through thewalls of blood capillaries. C) increase the surface area of the mucosa of the smallintestine D) produce hormones E) produce new cells for the mucosa of the smallintestine Plicae and intestinalvilli A) secrete digestive enzymes B) carry products of digestion that will not pass through thewalls of blood capillaries. C) increase the surface area of the mucosa of the smallintestine D) produce hormones E) produce new cells for the mucosa of the smallintestine
Explanation / Answer
C.) increases the surfacearea of the mucosa of the small intestine. Theinner wall or mucosa of the small intestine is lined with simplecolumnar epithelium. Thismucosa is covered in wrinkles or folds called plicae circularesfrom which microscopic finger-like pieces of tissuecalled villi. Theindividual epithelial cells also have finger like projectionscalled microvilli. Themain function of plicae circulares, the villi and the microvilli isto increase the amount ofsurface area that is availablefor the absorption of nutrients.