The findings, published in a study in Developmental Cell, reveal that intestinal smooth muscle originates in embryos and forms by the same process that is a hallmark of creating scar tissue when a wound heals.
The smooth muscle sits inside tiny finger-like projections called villi, which absorb fats—also known as lipids—from foods. Contractions of these smooth muscles squeeze absorbed dietary fats through lymphatic capillaries, called lacteals, which send the fats into the systemic blood circulation to produce energy.
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