11 Crucial Difference between Jejunum and Ileum with Table

May 1, 2023 · 3 min read ·

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What is the difference between jejunum and ileum?

Digestion is the mechanical and chemical breakdown of food particles until they are absorbed into the bloodstream. The process starts in the mouth to the stomach and ends in the intestines. Jejunum and ileum are part of the small intestines.

The core difference between jejunum and ileum is that jejunum is responsible for absorbing fully digested carbohydrates and proteins while ileum tends to absorb foods that are not absorbed in the jejunum.

Difference between Jejunum and Ileum

What is a Jejunum?

The jejunum is part of the small intestines responsible for absorbing fully digested proteins and carbohydrates. It is found between the duodenum and ileum.

It normally begins at the suspensory muscle of the duodenum and an adult human being has about 8 feet jejunum long. It is covered by thin membranes that keep them warm.

The internal wall of jejunum is covered by villi and microvilli which absorb nutrients. Absorption of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and electrolyte happen in the jejunum.

What is an Ileum?

The ileum is the part of the small intestines responsible for absorbing the remaining nutrients that were not absorbed by the jejunum.

It is located between the jejunum and caecum. It tends to measure about 11.5 feet long. It has an ileocecal valve which plays the role of emptying the content in the ileum to the colon.

Besides that, the ileum has specialized receptors for absorbing vitamin B12 and bile acid. It has less number of folds in the body.

Comparison Table: Jejunum vs Ileum

Basic Terms	Jejunum	Ileum
Meaning	The middle part of the small intestines for absorbing proteins and carbohydrates	The final part of the small intestines for absorbing the remaining nutrients
Correspondence	Found between the duodenum and ileum	Found between jejunum and caecum.
Beginning	The suspensory muscle shows the beginning of jejunum	Difficult to identify the starting point
Width	Slightly wider	Wider
Length	Measure about 8 feet	Measure about 11.5 feet
Folds	Tend to be thicker	Tend to be less thick
Number of Folds	Has a large number of folds	Have a fewer number of folds
Core function	Absorption of proteins, fats, minerals, electrolytes, and carbohydrates	Absorption of non-absorbed nutrients from the ileum
Mucosa-associated Lymph Tissue	Has less	Has more
Valves	Absent	Present

Core Differences between Jejunum and Ileum

The jejunum is the middle part of small intestines while ileum is the final part of the small intestines

The jejunum is found between duodenum and ileum while ileum is found between jejunum and caecum.

The suspensory muscle shows the beginning of jejunum while ileum is difficult to spot the beginning.

The ileum is longer while the jejunum is shorter

The jejunum is slightly wider while the ileum is wider

Jejunum has thicker folds while ileum has thinner folds

The jejunum is responsible for absorption proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates while the ileum is responsible for absorbing the remaining nutrients

Jejunum has less mucosa-associated lymph tissue while ileum has more

The ileum has a valve at the end while the jejunum has no valve

The ileum is highly vascularized with blood vessels while jejunum has simpler blood supply vessels.

The jejunum has a large number of folds while the ileum has fewer folds

Similarities between Jejunum and Ileum

Both are part of the small intestines

Both are folded part of the intestines

Both have slightly alkaline or neutral inner surfaces

Both are responsible for absorbing nutrients

Both are covered by the mesentery

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Comparison Video

Summary

Both jejunum and ileum are responsible for absorbing nutrients. They are located at the lower end of the small intestines. The location helps to spot the difference between ileum and jejunum.

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