title: Morphology of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue in odontocetes.
abstract: This study describes the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) in odontocetes from the Brazilian coast and freshwater systems. Seven species were evaluated and tissue samples were analyzed by light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. Laryngeal tonsil was a palpable oval mass located in the larynx, composed of a lymphoepithelial complex. Dense collections of lymphocytes were found in the skin of male fetus and calf. Clusters of lymphoid tissue were found in the uterine cervix of a reproductively active juvenile female and along the pulmonary artery of an adult female. Lymphoid tissues associated with the gastrointestinal tract were characterized by diffusely arranged or organized lymphocytes. The anal tonsil was composed of an aggregate of lymphoid tissue occurring exclusively in the anal canal, being composed of squamous epithelium branches. MALT was present in different tissues and organic systems of cetaceans, providing constant protection against mucosal pathogens present in their environment.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, (FAVET/UECE), Av. Dr. Silas Muguba, 1700, Itaperi, 60740-000, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.|Núcleo de Estudos dos Efeitos Antropogênicos nos Recursos Marinhos, Fundação Mamíferos Aquáticos (NEARM/FMA), Av. Tancredo Neves, 5655, Jabotiana, 49095-000, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.|Instituto Biota de Conservação (BIOTA), R. Santa Joana, 196, Riacho Doce, 57039-290, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda M O
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos dos Efeitos Antropogênicos nos Recursos Marinhos, Fundação Mamíferos Aquáticos (NEARM/FMA), Av. Tancredo Neves, 5655, Jabotiana, 49095-000, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.|Pós-graduação em Sustentabilidade de Ecossistemas Costeiros e Marinhos, Universidade Santa Cecõlia (UNISANTA), R. Oswaldo Cruz, 277, Boqueirão, 11045-907, Santos, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Estudos dos Efeitos Antropogênicos nos Recursos Marinhos, Fundação Mamíferos Aquáticos (NEARM/FMA), Av. Tancredo Neves, 5655, Jabotiana, 49095-000, Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jociery E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Vergara-Parente
authors.affiliation: Programa de Mamíferos Marinhos, Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos (PMM/AQUASIS), Av. José de Alencar, 150, Praia de Iparana, SESC Iparana, 61627-010, Caucaia, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vitor L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carolina
authors.affiliation: Programa de Mamíferos Marinhos, Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos (PMM/AQUASIS), Av. José de Alencar, 150, Praia de Iparana, SESC Iparana, 61627-010, Caucaia, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Meirelles
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Pesquisa em Mamíferos Aquáticos Amazônicos, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá (GPMAA/IDSM), Estr. do Bexiga, 2584, Fonte Boa, 69470-000, Tefé, Amazonas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marmontel
authors.affiliation: Instituto Biota de Conservação (BIOTA), R. Santa Joana, 196, Riacho Doce, 57039-290, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruno S S P
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Instituto Biota de Conservação (BIOTA), R. Santa Joana, 196, Riacho Doce, 57039-290, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvanise M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Metodista de São Paulo (UMESP), Av. Dom Jaime de Barros Camara, 1000, Planalto, 09895-400, São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Estella Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Becegato
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Veterinárias, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, (FAVET/UECE), Av. Dr. Silas Muguba, 1700, Itaperi, 60740-000, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Janaina S A M
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Evangelista
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo (FMVZ/USP), Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87, Cidade Universitária, 05508-270, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Angelica
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miglino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014066:Palatine Tonsil / Q000166:cytology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014907:Whales / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000276:immunology
keywords: MALT; cetaceans; immunology; lymphoid system