Bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) and larynx-associated lymphoid tissue (LALT) are found at different frequencies in children, adolescents and adults

Scand J Immunol. 1998 Feb;47(2):159-62. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-3083.1998.00276.x.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging
  • Bronchi / anatomy & histology*
  • Bronchi / embryology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Epiglottis / anatomy & histology*
  • Epiglottis / embryology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Lung / anatomy & histology
  • Lung / embryology
  • Lymphoid Tissue / anatomy & histology*
  • Lymphoid Tissue / embryology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged