Tonsil

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Tonsil

For the structure in the cerebellumCerebellum

The cerebellum is a region of the brain that plays an important role in the integration of sensory perception and motor out...
, see cerebellar tonsilCerebellar tonsil

The cerebellar tonsil is a rounded mass, situated in the hemispheres of the cerebellum....
.

The tonsils are areas of lymphoid tissueLymphatic system

The lymphatic system is a complex network of lymphoid organs, lymph nodes, lymph ducts, and lymph vessels that produce and t...
on either side of the throatFacts About Throat

In anatomy, the throat is the part of the neck anterior to the vertebral column....
. An infectionInfection

An infection is the detrimental colonization of a host organism by a foreign species....
of the tonsils is called tonsillitisTonsillitis Summary

Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils in the mouth and will often, but not necessarily, cause a sore throat and feve...
. Most commonly, the term "tonsils" refers to the palatine tonsils that can be seen in the back of the throat.

Like other organs of the lymphatic systemLymphatic system

The lymphatic system is a complex network of lymphoid organs, lymph nodes, lymph ducts, and lymph vessels that produce and t...
, the tonsils act as part of the immune systemImmune system

The immune system is composed of a complex constellation of cells, organs and tissues, arranged in an elaborate and dynamic ...
to help protect against infection. In particular, they are believed to be involved in helping fight off pharyngealPharynx

The pharynx is the part of the neck and throat situated immediately posterior to the mouth and nasal cavity, and cranial to...
and upper respiratory tract infectionFacts About Upper respiratory tract infection

Upper respiratory tract infection, also popularly known as either the acronym URTI or URI, is the disease charac...
s.

Tonsils in humans include, from superior to inferior:

Name	EpitheliumEpithelium In skinology epithelium is a tissue composed of a layer of cells....	CapsuleCapsule (anatomy) A capsule, in anatomy, is a cover or envelope partly or wholly surrounding a structure....	CryptsCrypt (anatomy) Crypts are anatomical structures that are narrow but deep invaginations into a larger structure....	Location >- \| adenoids (also termed "pharyngeal tonsils")	ciliated pseudostratified columnarPseudostratified epithelium In pseudostratified epithelium, there is only a single layer of cells, but the position of the nuclei gives the impression t...	Incompletely encapsulated	No	roof of pharynxPharynx The pharynx is the part of the neck and throat situated immediately posterior to the mouth and nasal cavity, and cranial to... \|- \| palatine tonsils	non-keratinized stratified squamousStratified squamous epithelium In stratified squamous epitheli the cells which line the epithelium are arranged in layers and as such some of them won't be...	Incompletely encapsulated	Yes	sides of pharynxPharynx The pharynx is the part of the neck and throat situated immediately posterior to the mouth and nasal cavity, and cranial to... between glossopalatine and pharyngopalatine arches \|- \| lingual tonsilsLingual tonsils The lingual tonsils are rounded masses of lymphatic tissue that cover the posterior region of the tongue....	non-keratinized stratified squamousStratified squamous epithelium Overview In stratified squamous epitheli the cells which line the epithelium are arranged in layers and as such some of them won't be...	Incompletely encapsulated	Yes	behind terminal sulcus (tongue)Terminal sulcus (tongue) The dorsum of the tongue is convex and marked by a median sulcus, which divides it into symmetrical halves; this sulcus ends behin...

Together this set of lymphatic tissue is known as Waldeyer's tonsillar ringWaldeyer's tonsillar ring

Waldeyer's tonsillar ring is an antomical term describing the the lymphoid tissue ring located in the nasopharynx....
.

Tonsils tend to reach their largest size near pubertyPuberty

Puberty refers to the process of physical changes by which a child's body becomes an adult body capable of reproduction....
, and they gradually undergo atrophyAtrophy

Atrophy is the partial or complete wasting away of a part of the body....
thereafter. However, they are largest relative to the diameter of the throat in young children, and tonsillectomyTonsillectomy

A tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure in which the tonsils are removed....
(surgical removal of tonsils) may be indicated if they are obstructing the airway or interfering with swallowing. Also, when tonsils become overly enlarged or inflamed they may need to be surgically removed. In older patients, asymmetric tonsils (also known as asymmetric tonsil hypertrophy) may be an indicator of virally infected tonsils, or tumors such as lymphomaLymphoma

Lymphoma is a variety of cancer that originates in lymphocytes or, more rarely, of histiocytes....
or squamous cell carcinomaSquamous cell carcinoma

In medicine, squamous cell carcinoma is a form of cancer of the carcinoma type that may occur in many different organs, incl...
. Some doctors who are not ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists are conservative on recommending the removal of tonsils, because the tissue cannot be put back, and removal decreases the power of the immune system. ENT specialists generally recommend removal if there are frequent recurrent tonsillitisTonsillitis

Tonsillitis is an inflammation of the tonsils in the mouth and will often, but not necessarily, cause a sore throat and feve...
, adenotonsillar hyperplasiaFacts About Hyperplasia

Hyperplasia is a general term for an increase in the number of the cells of an organ or tissue causing it to increase in siz...
causing symptomatic partial upper airway obstruction or asymmetry.

Tonsil

See also

External links