JERUSALEM, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Israeli researchers have created the first detailed maps of activity areas in the human small intestine, according to a statement issued by the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) on Wednesday.

The atlas, developed by WIS and Sheba Medical Center and published in the journal Nature, identified key landmarks in the complex structure of the 6-meter-long small intestine and revealed how it absorbs nutrients and defends against infection, said the statement.

Healthy intestinal tissue was quickly frozen and analyzed with new technology to map spatial genetic expression at a resolution of 50 microns, it said.

According to the statement, the atlas clarified several mysteries, such as why fats take up to two days to be absorbed into the blood.

The atlas could also inform clinical studies on how the small intestine changes with disease, aging, medications, or diet, it added. Enditem

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