Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is best described as tissue associated with mucous membranes.

• A. It is tissue in the lymph node cortex
• B. It is red pulp in the spleen
• C. It is tissue associated with mucous membranes
• D. It is the inner lining of the heart

Answer: (C)

MALT is immune tissue integrated with mucous membranes, located just beneath the epithelium of mucosal surfaces and organized to monitor and respond to antigens encountered at those entry points. This tissue is specialized for defending areas like the gut, airways, and other mucosal sites, and it includes structures such as Peyer's patches and tonsils, as well as diffuse lymphoid tissue in the lamina propria.

That’s why it’s described as tissue associated with mucous membranes: its position, structure, and function are all centered on mucosal immune defense. It isn’t located in the lymph node cortex (that’s a regional area of a lymph node), nor is it the red pulp of the spleen (a blood-filtering region), nor the inner lining of the heart (the endocardium).