Microvillus

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/microvillus

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the associated structures?Often covered by a glycocalyx, involved in cell recognition and protection
2. Where are microvilli found in the body?Microvilli are found on the cells that line the small intestine and the kidney tubules. They are also present on other epithelial cells in the body.
3. How do microvilli help us eat food?Microvilli increase the surface area of a cell, so more transport proteins can sit on the membrane. This lets the cell absorb digested food molecules quickly and efficiently.

Apical Membrane: The surface of an epithelial cell that faces the lumen or external environment.
Brush Border: The dense layer of microvilli on the surface of certain epithelial cells.
Glycocalyx: A carbohydrate-rich layer on the outer surface of the plasma membrane.