9/2/2019 Jejunum - Wikipedia

Jejunum
The jejunum (/dʒɪˈdʒuːnəm/[2][3]) is the second part of the small
Jejunum
intestine in humans and most higher vertebrates, including mammals,
reptiles, and birds. Its lining is specialized for the absorption by
enterocytes of small nutrient molecules which have been previously
digested by enzymes in the duodenum.

The jejunum lies between the duodenum and the ileum and is
considered to start at the suspensory muscle of the duodenum, a
location called the duodenojejunal flexure.[4] The division between the
jejunum and ileum is not anatomically distinct.[5] In adult humans, the
small intestine is usually 6-7m long, about two-fifths of which (2.5 m) is
the jejunum.[4] Small intestine

Contents
Structure
Histology
Function
Other animals
Superior and inferior duodenal fossæ.
History
Etymology
Details

References Precursor midgut

External links Artery jejunal arteries

Vein jejunal veins
Nerve celiac ganglia, vagus[1]
Structure Identifiers
The interior surface of the jejunum—which is exposed to ingested food
Latin Jejunum
—is covered in finger–like projections of mucosa, called villi, which
MeSH D007583 (https://meshb.nl
increase the surface area of tissue available to absorb nutrients from
m.nih.gov/record/ui?ui=D00
ingested foodstuffs. The epithelial cells which line these villi have
7583)
microvilli. The transport of nutrients across epithelial cells through the
jejunum and ileum includes the passive transport of sugar fructose and TA A05.6.03.001 (http://www.u
the active transport of amino acids, small peptides, vitamins, and most nifr.ch/ifaa/Public/EntryPag
glucose. The villi in the jejunum are much longer than in the duodenum e/TA98%20Tree/Entity%20
or ileum. TA98%20EN/05.6.03.001%
20Entity%20TA98%20EN.h
The pH in the jejunum is usually between 7 and 9 (neutral or slightly tm)
alkaline).
FMA 7207 (https://bioportal.bioo
The jejunum and the ileum are suspended by mesentery which gives the ntology.org/ontologies/FM
bowel great mobility within the abdomen. It also contains circular and A/?p=classes&conceptid=ht
longitudinal smooth muscle which helps to move food along by a tp%3A%2F%2Fpurl.org%2
process known as peristalsis. Fsig%2Font%2Ffma%2Ffm
a7207)

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If the jejunum is impacted by blunt force the emesis reflex (vomiting) Anatomical terminology
will be initiated.[6]

Histology
The jejunum contains very few Brunner's glands (found in the duodenum) or Peyer's patches (found in the ileum).
However, there are a few jejunal lymph nodes suspended in its mesentery. The jejunum has many large circular folds
in its submucosa called plicae circulares that which increase the surface area for nutrient absorption. The plicae
circulares are the best developed in the jejunum.

There is no line of demarcation between the jejunum and the ileum. However, there are subtle histological differences:

The jejunum has less fat inside its mesentery than the ileum.
The jejunum is typically of larger diameter than the ileum.
The villi of the jejunum look like long, finger-like projections, and are a histologically identifiable structure.
While the length of the entire intestinal tract contains lymphoid tissue, only the ileum has abundant Peyer's
patches, which are unencapsulated lymphoid nodules that contain large numbers of lymphocytes and immune
cells, like microfold cells.

Transmission electron TEM image of mouse Dog jejunum

microscope (TEM) image of jejunum (14,000-fold (magnified
human jejunum magnification) 100-fold)

Function
The lining of the jejunum is specialized for the absorption by enterocytes of small nutrient particles which have been
previously digested by enzymes in the duodenum. Once absorbed, nutrients (with the exception of fat, which goes to
the lymph) pass from the enterocytes into the enterohepatic circulation and enter the liver via the hepatic portal vein,
where the blood is processed.[7] The jejunum is involved in magnesium absorption.

Other animals
In fish, the divisions of the small intestine are not as clear and the terms middle intestine or mid-gut may be used
instead of jejunum.[8]

History

Etymology
Jejunum is derived from the Latin word jējūnus, meaning "fasting." It was so called because this part of the small
intestine was frequently found to be void of food following death,[9] due to its intensive peristaltic activity relative to
the duodenum and ileum.

The Early Modern English adjective jejune is derived from this word.[10]

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References
1. Nosek, Thomas M. Essentials of Human Physiology. Section 6/6ch2/s6ch2_30
2. OED 2nd edition, 1989.
3. Entry "jejunum" (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jejunum) in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (htt
p://www.merriam-webster.com/).
4. Drake, Richard L.; Vogl, Wayne; Tibbitts, Adam W.M. Mitchell; illustrations by Richard; Richardson, Paul (2005).
Gray's anatomy for students. Philadelphia: Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone. pp. 273–275. ISBN 978-0-8089-2306-0.
5. Deakin, Barbara Young ... [et al.]; drawings by Philip J. (2006). Wheater's functional histology : a text and colour
atlas (5th ed.). [Edinburgh?]: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier. p. 263. ISBN 978-0-443-068-508.
6. Moon, Jackie. SemiPro.
7. CRANE, RK (Oct 1960). "Intestinal absorption of sugars". Physiological Reviews. 40: 789–825. PMID 13696269 (h
ttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/13696269).
8. Guillaume, Jean; Praxis Publishing; Sadasivam Kaushik; Pierre Bergot; Robert Metailler (2001). Nutrition and
Feeding of Fish and Crustaceans (https://books.google.com/books?id=As0flTZo_EAC&pg=PA31). Springer. p. 31.
ISBN 9781852332419. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
9. Harper, Douglas. "jejunum" (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=jejunum). Etymology Online. Retrieved
15 November 2014.
10. "Oxford English Dictionary: jejune, adj" (http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/101004?redirectedFrom=jejune#eid).

External links
Gastrolab.net:The Jejunum (https://web.archive.org/web/20050620080036/http://www.gastrolab.net/bb12je.htm)
Peyer's patches (http://www.thehealthnews.org/news/06/08/01/Peyers.Patches.html)
Anatomy photo:37:11-0100 (http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/haonline/labs/l37/110100.htm) at the SUNY
Downstate Medical Center – "Abdominal Cavity: The Jejunum and the Ileum"
Anatomy image:7856 (http://ect.downstate.edu/courseware/haonline/imgs/00000/7000/800/7856.jpg) at the SUNY
Downstate Medical Center

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