Scanning electron microscopy of intestinal villous structures and their putative relation to digestion and absorption in chickens.

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) was used to examine villous structures at different parts in the small intestines of 22-week-old chickens. Duodenum revealed plate-like villi with large number of goblet cells on the duodenal epithelium. Jejunum and ileum both revealed leaf-like villi, but the amount of goblet cells was greater in the jejunum. A putative effect of villous structures on the intestinal digestion and absorption is discussed.