How the Body Works: The Villi

Each villus contains a network of blood vessels and a small lymphatic vessel, known as the lacteal. Some products of digestion---like amino acids and glucose---pass into the blood vessels and then into the hepatic portal vein, which carries them to the liver. Most fatty acids and glycerol are recombined to become fats in the intestinal lining and are absorbed into the lacteals. The fluid in the lacteals passes into the lymphatic vessels and is emptied into the bloodstream.