[Morphology of the lymphoid tissue of the bronchus in healthy persons of various ages, and the effect of smoking].

Bronchoassociated lymphoid tissue (BALT) is studied histologically and morphometrically in 49 autopsy cases of persons of various ages after violent death. Lymphoepithelial follicles typical for BALT of small laboratory animals were not observed in human lungs of healthy persons. BALT structural components are represented by interepithelial lymphocytes, diffusely scattered lymphocytes in the mucous membrane tunica propria, lymphoid agglomerations (focal loose agglomerations in the mucous membrane tunica propria, focal periglandular and dense periductal, dense peribronchial and peribronchiolar agglomerations). According to the morphometrical study, there is BALT hyperplasia at young and adolescent ages and involutive changes at advanced age. Reduction of periglandular lymphoid agglomerations and an increase of the alveolar macrophages number were observed in adult persons who smoked for many years.