Introduction: The epithelium of pharyngeal tonsil is described mostly as a pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium with globet cells. Study design: Experimental. Objective: Description of the types of overlay epithelium of pharyngeal tonsils and the frequency of occurrence of these diferent types. Material and Method: Histological study of twenty-four pharyngeal tonsils from children three to seven years old to adenoidectomy or adenoamigdalectomy inthe Departament of Otorrinolaringology, Irmandade da Santa Casa de São Paulo. Results: Only 4,15% of the tonsils presented the pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium with globet cells like covering epithelium of exclusive occurrence; 4,15% presented exclusively stratified squamous nonkeratinized epithelium; 41,70% of all observeded tonsils showed predominance of pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium with globet cells with some areas of stratified squamous nonkeratinized epithelium; 50% of the observed sampleshowed predominance of stratified squamous nonkeratinized epithelium with some areas of pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium with globet cells. Conclusion: The studied pharyngeal tonsils presented the stratified squamous nonkeratinized epithelium with areas of pseudostratified columnar ciliated epithelium with globet cells as the most frequent epithelium of linining.
pharyngeal tonsils; epithelium; histology
