Otolaryngologic Mucosal Immune Compartments

Nose, Ear, and Tonsils are the anatomic compartments that functions in respiration, hearing and swallowing accordingly. Nasal mucosa, ear internal surface mucosa and wax as well as the glandular tissues of the tonsils are parts of the common mucosal immune system. They constitute an inductive site for the mucosal immune responses. Mucosal immunoglobulins, mucosal macrophages, mucosal T helpers, and mucosal B lymphocytes are the main players in the local immune responses in these compartments.