Several types of tonsils sit throughout the throat. These six lymphoid tissues are the body’s first line of defense against inhaled pathogens. Specialized M cells cover the surface of a tonsil. These cells can capture invading antigens and alert the B and T cells in the rest of the body to stimulate an immune response. The tonsils also produce memory B cells, which allow the body to develop an immunity to pathogens it has experienced before.

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