Absorption of

digested food in the

ileum
1. To absorb digested food more effectively , the
ileum needs to have a large surface area. Thus
, the small intestine has the following
adaptations to increase its surface area :

● It is very long.
● The inner surface of small intestine is folded.
● The entire inner surface of the small intestine
has finger-like projections called villi.
● On the epithelium of each villus, there are fine
projections called microvilli.