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Lacteal
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Lacteals are blunt‐ended lymphatic vessels located centrally in the intestinal villi which are responsible for absorbing dietary lipids in the small intestine.
The absorbed lipid, known as chyle, is then drained from the mucosa of the small intestine into the surrounding lymphatic plexuses that run within the intestinal walls.
In addition to having nutrient absorption responsibilities, lacteals also facilitate the transportation of antigen and antigen-presenting cells and thus have a role in generating a gut immune response.
On average, there may be two lacteals in the each villus in the duodenum and proximal jejunum, whereas other villi of the small intestine tend to only have one lacteal in their center. From the proximal duodenum to the distal ileum, the length of the lacteals shortens gradually as the villus lengths decreases as well.
| Terminology |
English: Lacteal Synonym: Central lymphatic vessel Latin: Vas lymphaticum centrale |
| Definition | Lacteals are the central blunt‐ended long lymphatic vessels located in the intestinal villi that absorb dietary lipids in the small intestine. |
Keen to learn more about the histological structure of the different sections in the small intestine? Then dive straight into the following study unit:
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