Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) and larynx-associated lymphoid tissue (LALT) are found at different frequencies in children, adolescents and adults.
The lung in 98 and the larynx in 51 consecutive autopsies (age: 17th gestational week to 99 years) were studied for the presence of organized lymphoid tissue in the epiglottis and in the wall of larger bronchi. Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) was seen in about 40% of patients younger than 20 years of age but in older patients only in exceptional cases. In the wall of the epiglottis, however, larynx-associated lymphoid tissue (LALT) was found at a frequency of approximately 80% in patients younger than 20 years and in 56% of the patients older than 20 years. The clinical relevance of LALT as a physiological entry site for antigens or for vaccination protocols using aerosols needs to be studied in further experiments.
Hiller
A S
AS
Institute of Legal Medicine, Medical School of Hannover, Germany.
Tschernig
T
T
Kleemann
W J
WJ
Pabst
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001980:Bronchi / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004825:Epiglottis / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000196:embryology; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged