10 Jejunum and Ileum

Jejunum:

Imagine a junk yard magnet which has to pick up all the valuable scrap metal which can be melted down and reused to make brand new steel products. Similarly, the second section of the small intestine known as the jejunum contains plicae circulares and villi to absorb nutrients like carbohydrates, amino acids and fatty acids. After first section of the hose-like small intestine, the jejunum is the second section which follows the duodenum and is approximately 2.5 meters long until it reaches the ileum.

Ileum:

The ileum, the last 3 meters of the small intestine, absorbs any nutrients not yet absorbed by the duodenum or jejunum, but mostly absorbs mostlye vitamins B12 and bile acids which are then recycled after absorption.

A defining characteristic of the ileum is the presence of peyer’s patches, which are lymphoid nodules, essential to the gut’s immune function.

View the various sections of the small intestine below: