PMID- 24694282
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20150223
LR  - 20230120
IS  - 1502-7708 (Electronic)
IS  - 0036-5521 (Linking)
VI  - 49
IP  - 6
DP  - 2014 Jun
TI  - Surface area of the digestive tract - revisited.
PG  - 681-9
LID - 10.3109/00365521.2014.898326 [doi]
AB  - BACKGROUND: According to textbooks, the human gut mucosa measures 260-300 m(2), 
      that is, in the order of a tennis court. However, the quantitative data are 
      incomplete and sometimes conflicting. OBJECTIVES: To review the literature 
      regarding the mucosal surface area of the human digestive tract; to collect 
      morphometric data from the parts of the gut where such data are missing; and to 
      recalculate the mucosal surface area of the intestine in man. METHODS: With focus 
      on the intestine, we carried out morphometry by light and electron microscopy on 
      biopsies from healthy adult volunteers or patients with endoscopically normal 
      mucosae. RESULTS: Literature review of intubation or radiological methods 
      indicates an oroanal length of  approximately 5 m, two-third of which refers to the small 
      intestine. However, there is a considerable variation between individuals. The 
      inner diameter of the small intestine averages 2.5 cm and that of the large 
      intestine averages 4.8 cm. The mucosa of the small intestine is enlarged  approximately 1.6 
      times by the plicae circulares. Morphometric data obtained by light and electron 
      microscopy of biopsies demonstrate that villi and microvilli together amplify the 
      small intestinal surface area by 60-120 times. Surface amplification due to 
      microvilli in the colon is  approximately 6.5 times. The mean total mucosal surface of the 
      digestive tract interior averages  approximately 32 m(2), of which about 2 m(2) refers to the 
      large intestine. CONCLUSION: The total area of the human adult gut mucosa is not 
      in the order of tennis lawn, rather is that of half a badminton court.
FAU - Helander, Herbert F
AU  - Helander HF
AD  - Department of Gastrosurgical Research and Education, Institute of Clinical 
      Sciences, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg , 
      Sweden.
FAU - Fandriks, Lars
AU  - Fandriks L
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
PT  - Review
DEP - 20140402
PL  - England
TA  - Scand J Gastroenterol
JT  - Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology
JID - 0060105
SB  - IM
MH  - Gastrointestinal Tract/*anatomy & histology
MH  - Humans
MH  - Intestinal Mucosa/anatomy & histology
MH  - Microscopy, Electron
MH  - Microvilli/*ultrastructure
MH  - Organ Size
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - adult
OT  - diameter
OT  - digestive tract
OT  - human
OT  - length
OT  - microvilli
OT  - surface area
OT  - vertical sections
OT  - villi
EDAT- 2014/04/04 06:00
MHDA- 2015/02/24 06:00
CRDT- 2014/04/04 06:00
PHST- 2014/04/04 06:00 [entrez]
PHST- 2014/04/04 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2015/02/24 06:00 [medline]
AID - 10.3109/00365521.2014.898326 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Scand J Gastroenterol. 2014 Jun;49(6):681-9. doi: 10.3109/00365521.2014.898326. 
      Epub 2014 Apr 2.