File:Illu_small_intestine.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
ileum
Sign in to saveThe ileum () is the final section of the small intestine in most higher vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. In fish, the divisions of the small intestine are not as clear and the terms posterior intestine or distal intestine may be used instead of ileum.
The ileum is the final section of the small intestine in mammals, reptiles, and birds, where the last stages of nutrient absorption take place before food passes into the large intestine. In fish, this section is less distinctly defined and is instead referred to as the posterior or distal intestine.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Anatomy.Name
- Ileum
- Anatomy.Latin
- ileum
- Anatomy.Image
- Illu small intestine.jpg
- Anatomy.Caption
- Small intestine
- Anatomy.Image2
- Gray1045.png
- Anatomy.Caption2
- The cecal fossa. The ileum and cecum are drawn backward and upward.
- Anatomy.Precursor
- Midgut
- Anatomy.Artery
- Ileal arteries, ileocolic artery
- Anatomy.Vein
- Ileal veins
- Anatomy.Nerve
- Celiac ganglia, vagus
via Wikipedia infobox
Research
68,449 papers- Duplicated ileum.The Medical journal of Australia · 1962COPELAND JMDOI: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1962.tb59365.x
- Primary sarcomatoid carcinoma of the ileum: Genetic alterations and treatment.Asian journal of surgery · 2022Zhang Y, Gao W, Cao FDOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2022.05.168
- [Ileum duplex].Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde · 1956BLOM ID
- The cultivable microbiota of the human distal ileum.Clinical microbiology and infection : the official publication of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases · 2021Villmones HC, Halland A, Stenstad T et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2020.08.021
- [Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the distal jejunum and ileum].ReviewDer Pathologe · 2014Anlauf M, Sipos B, Boeck I et al.DOI: 10.1007/s00292-013-1888-5
- Melatonin via MTNR1B regulates METTL3 to protect ileum cell differentiation.Inflammation · 2025Li Y, Sun Y, Chen Y et al.DOI: 10.1007/s10753-024-02098-z
- Minimally invasive colonoscopy treatment of inflammatory fibroid polyps in the terminal ileum.Scientific reports · 2023Tang YS, Liu L, Gao Y et al.DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31719-0
- [Sharply defined ulcerations of the colon excluding the terminal ileum].Pathologie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2024Forberger M, Seidemann L, Trawinski H et al.DOI: 10.1007/s00292-023-01240-2
via PubMed
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Illu small intestine.jpg
Show 2 more facts
- NCI Thesaurus ID
- C12387
- Commons category
- Ileum
via Wikidata · CC0
~8 min read
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Structure
- Histology
- Development
- Function
- Clinical significance
- Other animals
- References
- External links
The ileum () is the final section of the small intestine in most higher vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds. In fish, the divisions of the small intestine are not as clear and the terms posterior intestine or distal intestine may be used instead of ileum. Its main function is to absorb vitamin B12, bile salts, and whatever products of digestion that were not absorbed by the jejunum.
The ileum follows the duodenum and jejunum and is separated from the cecum by the ileocecal valve (ICV). In humans, the ileum is about 2–4 m long, and the pH is usually between 7 and 8 (neutral or slightly basic).