The small intestine develops from the digestive tube, which exists ventrally in the developing embryo. The digestive tube is endoderm, and therefore the small intestine and it's associated glands develop primarily from endoderm. Splanchnic mesoderm surrounds the digestive tube and gives rise to muscles of the tunica muscularis (for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peristalsis| peristalsis]), blood vessels in the submucosa and connective tissue of the serosa. | The small intestine develops from the digestive tube, which exists ventrally in the developing embryo. The digestive tube is endoderm, and therefore the small intestine and it's associated glands develop primarily from endoderm. Splanchnic mesoderm surrounds the digestive tube and gives rise to muscles of the tunica muscularis (for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peristalsis| peristalsis]), blood vessels in the submucosa and connective tissue of the serosa. |