Fat-soluble nutrients are absorbed into _____ within each villus.

• A. goblet cells
• B. crypts of Lieberkühn
• C. lacteals
• D. capillaries

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Begin by understanding the structure of a villus, which is a small finger-like projection in the lining of the small intestine. Each villus contains blood capillaries and a lymphatic vessel called a lacteal.
2. Step 2: Recall that fat-soluble nutrients, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, are absorbed differently than water-soluble nutrients. Fat-soluble nutrients are packaged into chylomicrons (lipoprotein particles) after being processed in the intestinal cells.
3. Step 3: Understand the role of lacteals in the absorption process. Lacteals are specialized lymphatic vessels within the villi that absorb chylomicrons because they are too large to enter the blood capillaries directly.
4. Step 4: Compare the options provided: Goblet cells are responsible for mucus secretion, crypts of Lieberkühn are involved in cell renewal and secretion, and capillaries absorb water-soluble nutrients. Lacteals are the correct structure for absorbing fat-soluble nutrients.
5. Step 5: Conclude that fat-soluble nutrients are absorbed into lacteals within each villus, as they are specifically designed to transport lipids and chylomicrons into the lymphatic system.