part_of part of is part of part of has part has part has_part anatomical entity anatomical entity intestinal villus http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Small_intestine_low_mag.jpg intestinal villus layer MA:0001563 UBERON:0007607 TAO:0005125 small intestine villus intestinal villi enteric villus The entire digestive tract is lined by well developed villi, which are longest in the intestinal bulb and decrease progressively in size towards the caudal end of the intestine. No crypts are present, but, the regions between the villi, the intervillus pockets, have a crypt-like function. Cells are produced in the intervillus pockets and shed from the villus tips. Crosnier et al. 2005[TAO] NCIT:C33874 villus intestinalis (intestinum tenue) villi intestinales villus ZFA:0005125 enteric villous BTO:0003121 enteric villi UMLS:C1519988 in mammals, villi are (largely?) absent from the large intestine, so we treat this as equivalent to small intestinal villus. small/large subdivision may not make sense for all species for which this is present (see ZFA). Note that VHOG quotes ISBN:978-0030223693 as suggesting there are some villi in the large intestine The tiny hair-like projections that protrude from the inside of the small intestine that contain blood vessels that capture digested nutrients that are absorbed through the intestinal wall; the villi increase the absorptive surface area of the small intestine by approximately 30-fold. uberon UBERON:0001213 EMAPA:35784 the BTO class refers to a generic villous FMA:15072 villi intestinales intestinal epithelium blood vessel organ component layer striated border microvillus layer