Mucosal immune system

The mucosal immune system or MALT mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (called GALT in the GIT; in the airways BALT (bronchus)) is the lymphatic tissue in the mucosa or submucosa.


 * d-MALT - diffuse lymphatic tissue (cells are scattered in the mucosa or submucosa),


 * o-MALT - organized lymphatic tissue (cells are arranged in lymphatic follicles, which can be separated (folliculi lymphatici solitarii) or grouped into so-called Peyer's plaques (folliculi lymphatici aggregati)).

Above the lymphatic follicles the intestinal wall is covered by FAE (epithelium associated with follicles), which contains a large number of M-cells (membrane cells - they endocyte antigens from the intestinal lumen and pass it on to lymphocytes).