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 sites of the body, such as the gastrointestinal tract, 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. In the case of intestinal MALT, M cells are also present, which sample antigen from the lumen and deliver it to the lymphoid tissue.

Categorisation 1
Role in disease 2
References 3
External links 4

Categorisation

The components of MALT are sometimes subdivided into the following:

GALT (gut-associated lymphoid tissue. Peyer's patches are a component of GALT found in the lining of the small intestines.)
BALT (bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue)
NALT (nasal-associated lymphoid tissue)
CALT (conjunctival-associated lymphoid tissue)^[1]
O-MALT (organized mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue); specifically, the tonsils of Waldeyer's tonsillar ring are O-MALT.^[2]
D-MALT (diffuse mucosa-associated lymphatic tissue); MALT that is not organized as a separately [2]
LALT (larynx-associated lymphoid tissue)
SALT (skin-associated lymphoid tissue)

Role in disease

MALT plays a role in regulating mucosal immunity. It may be the site of lymphoma, usually non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A specific entity is the MALT lymphoma linked to Helicobacter pylori in the stomach.

References

^ Hong Liang, Christophe Baudouin, Antoine Labbe, Luisa Riancho & Françoise Brignole-Baudouin (2012). "Conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) reactions to antiglaucoma prostaglandins with or without BAK-preservative in rabbit acute toxicity study".
^ ^a ^b Gray's Anatomy, 38ed. p. 1442 ff.

External links

MALT resource page - Patients Against Lymphoma
Maltoma

Organs of the lymphatic system

Primary organs

Bone marrow	Hematopoietic stem cell

Thymus	Cortex Medulla Hassall's corpuscles

Secondary organs

Spleen	structural: Hilum Trabeculae Diaphragmatic surface of spleen Visceral surface of spleen Red pulp Cords of Billroth Marginal zone White pulp Periarteriolar lymphoid sheaths Germinal center blood flow: Trabecular arteries Trabecular veins

Tonsils	Palatine Lingual Pharyngeal Tubal Tonsillar crypts Waldeyer's tonsillar ring

Lymph nodes	lymph flow: Afferent lymph vessels Cortical sinuses Medullary sinuses Efferent lymph vessels T cells: High endothelial venules B cells: Primary follicle/Germinal center Mantle zone Marginal zone layers: Capsule/Trabeculae Subcapsular sinus Cortex Paracortex Medulla (Medullary cord) Hilum

MALT	GALT Peyer's patch Germinal center

Index of the lymphatic system

Description

Disease

Treatment

Categories

Lymphoid organ

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Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue