Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue
DIFFUSE SYSTEM OF LYMPHOID TISSUE FOUND IN VARIOUS MUCOSAL SITES
MALT; Mucosal-associated lymphosal tissue; Mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue; Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue; Mucosa associated lymphoid tissue
The mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT), also called mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue, is a diffuse system of small concentrations of lymphoid tissue found in various submucosal membrane sites of the body, such as the gastrointestinal tract, nasopharynx, thyroid, breast, lung, salivary glands, eye, and skin. MALT is populated by lymphocytes such as T cells and B cells, as well as plasma cells and macrophages, each of which is well situated to encounter antigens passing through the mucosal epithelium.