This is a typical tonsil. The association of lymphatic tissue
and an overlying stratified squamous epithelium are the identifying
histological features of these organs.
Tonsils are usually anatomically well defined by the presence of a CT investment on the attachment side; germinal centers are normally present. The mucus type glands below are small salivary glands whose ducts open onto the surface of the tonsil.
Tonsils can be found on the back of the tongue and also along the sides of the oral cavity; or on the palate.
This higher magnification image of the tonsil makes the
relationship of the epithelium and the lymphatic tissue even more
obvious.
The deep invaginations of the tonsillar crypts are a
nice place for bacteria to multiply: dark, warm, and moist.
Accumulations of detritus are common and may cause infections.
Tonsils in the oral cavity have an important role in presenting
antigens to the immune system, and their too-early removal may cause
some minor immune deficiencies. They reach their maximum
development in humans by age 15 and then undergo a process of
involution.
