Which organ's histology shows a cortex and medulla with germinal centers?

Study for the CAMLPR Histology Practice Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

The main idea is the distinct anatomy of a lymphoid organ that features a cortex and a medulla, with germinal centers forming in the cortex. In lymph nodes, the cortex contains lymphoid follicles, and when B cells respond to an antigen, they proliferate and create germinal centers within those follicles. The medulla houses medullary cords and sinuses, distinct from the cortical follicles. This combination—a cortex with germinal centers and a separate medulla—is characteristic of the lymph node, reflecting its role in organizing B-cell responses and routing lymph through the node.

Other organs don’t fit this pattern as cleanly. The thymus has cortex and medulla but lacks germinal centers, since its role is T-cell maturation rather than B-cell activation. The spleen does have germinal centers in white pulp, but its architecture is best described as white and red pulp around central arteries rather than a cortex–medulla organization. The appendix contains lymphoid tissue too, but it doesn’t present a classic cortex–medulla structure with germinal centers like a lymph node does.