Kaplan Nursing Entrance Exam Practice 2026 – Comprehensive Prep

The structures in the small intestine that enhance its surface area for nutrient absorption are villi. Villi are small, finger-like projections that extend into the intestinal lumen, significantly increasing the surface area available for absorption. This extensive surface area allows for more efficient uptake of nutrients as they pass through the intestines. Each villus contains a network of capillaries and lacteals, which further assist in the absorption of nutrients and fats, respectively.

While microvilli, which are even smaller projections on the surface of epithelial cells of the villi, also contribute to increasing surface area, the question specifically asks about which structures enhance surface area, and the term "villi" is often used to refer to the prominent projections that can be easily identified in the structure of the small intestine.

Lacteals, on the other hand, are specialized lymphatic vessels within the villi that transport absorbed fats but do not directly increase the surface area for absorption. The crypts of Lieberkühn are glandular structures located between the villi that secrete digestive enzymes and are involved in intestinal cell renewal, but they do not serve the purpose of increasing surface area for absorption.