The first of three sections of the small intestine, the duodenum, produces large quantities of mucus to protect the intestinal lining from acid in the chyme. Measuring about 20 feet (6 meters ...

When you eat, the gallbladder stores bile from the liver and empties it into the upper part of the small intestine (duodenum), helping digest and absorb fats. Gallstones develop when bile has ...

Villi and microvilli give the small intestine a much greater surface area than the large intestine. [16] Thus, bypassing of the duodenum and jejenum represents a large loss of surface area for ...