Mouse Duodenum Tissue - 40x
The digital image above is a three-dimensional reconstruction of mouse duodenum thick sections. The duodenum is the first of three major sections of the small intestine present in mammals and most other higher vertebrates. From the stomach’s pylorus, the duodenum accepts partially digested food, which it further breaks down through chemical digestion before passing the material along to the jejunum, which in turn is connected to the ileum. The movement of the material occurs through peristalsis, which is facilitated by inner circular and outer longitudinal layers of smooth muscle along the duodenum and much of the gastrointestinal tract.