Circular folds facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Circular folds
Small intestine (jejunus-ileum) with circular folds.
Latin	plicae circulares

The circular folds are special ridges inside your small intestine. They are like large flaps that stick out into the open space (called the lumen) of your intestine. These folds play an important role in how your body digests food.

What Are Circular Folds?

Your entire small intestine has these circular folds. They are made of a soft tissue called the mucous membrane. Most of these folds wrap around about half or two-thirds of the inside of the small intestine. Some folds form complete circles, while others spiral around the intestine. A spiral fold might go around the bowel once, or sometimes even two or three times.

The biggest folds are about 1 centimeter (about 0.4 inches) deep at their widest part. However, many of the folds are smaller. Larger and smaller folds often appear one after another, creating a wavy pattern.

How Are They Different from Stomach Folds?

Your stomach also has folds, called gastric folds. But there's a big difference! The folds in your stomach can flatten out when the stomach is full of food. Circular folds in the small intestine are permanent. This means they do not disappear or flatten, even when your intestine is stretched out.

What Do Circular Folds Do?

Circular folds have two main jobs that are very important for your digestion:

• Slowing Down Food: They help to slow down the journey of partly digested food as it moves through your intestines. This gives your body more time to work on the food.
• Increasing Absorption: They create a much larger surface area inside your intestine. Think of it like a crumpled piece of paper versus a flat one – the crumpled one takes up more space. This increased surface area is super important for absorbing nutrients from your food into your bloodstream. Without these folds, your body wouldn't be able to absorb as many good things from what you eat.

See also

In Spanish: Pliegues circulares para niños