Lymphoid Tissue

Lymphoid tissue is found scattered throughout the body in many other organs than lymphoid organs, as the walls of the appendix. Although lymphoid tissue is found throughout the body, some organs are specialized structures of the lymphoid system, while others have nothing to do with the system of lymph transport.

Both the lymphoid organs and the lymphoid tissue help defend the body against disease by filtering out such harmful particles as pathogens and cancer cells from the lymph, tissue fluid, and blood. Lymphoid tissue reaches its peak development at puberty, and then it progressively shrinks with age.

Lymphoid tissue is one of the hemapoietic tissues, that is, it helps to promote the formation of blood cells. It also produces lymphocytes and monocytes, important cells in the immune system response.

This page was updated in December 2005.