Note that the villi (v) are not simple, finger-like projections (HA24), but are branched and they anastomose. The epithelium changes from the surface mucous cells of the stomach to the absorptive and goblet cells of the small intestine You should also notice that there is a great infiltration (most of the small dark nuclei) of lymphatic cells in the lamina propria of the duodenum (HA24). Note that the crypts (c), which are infoldings of the epithelium, extend down to the muscularis mucosae (arrow).