Tonsils and lymph nodes: the endocannabinoid system
CB2 in B lymphocytes.
CB2 in B lymphocytes. Where the cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 sit in this region, what they do there, and what is actually known about CBD; at three levels for Everyone, Students and Experts, with sources.
Immune system and blood formationCB1 moderate · CB2 moderate (Human Protein Atlas)Last updated:
What's on this page?
Interactive 3D · real anatomy and real data
Where in your body are the cannabinoid receptors?
About 1.4 MB to download.
Regions
How to read it Choose a region, or tap a glowing point on the map.
- Solid light is the CB1 receptor, a ring is CB2. Each region has its own color; the color only tells regions apart.
- The strength of the light is the receptor gene level measured in human tissue (Human Protein Atlas). That is why the liver’s point is dim: a healthy liver has few receptors.
- With the layer selector above you can also see other receptors, the enzymes that make and break down endocannabinoids, and the liver enzymes that break down CBD and THC.
- Every piece of information shows its source and the type of evidence (human, animal, cell). You can change the reading level above.
- Drag to rotate. Use the + and − buttons to zoom; on a computer, Ctrl or ⌘ with the scroll wheel, on a phone, two fingers.
Tonsil · lymph node: RNA level of the receptor gene in human tissue (tissue consensus data). CB2 is 7.0 in the tonsil and 6.9 in the lymph node: the two highest tissues after the spleen (8.4). CB1 is 3.5 in the tonsil and 2.9 in the lymph node. Human Protein AtlasHuman tissue
| Receptor | Gene | RNA (nTPM) | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| CB1 | CNR1 | 3.5 | moderate |
| CB2 | CNR2 | 7 | moderate |
What does it do there?
The CB2 receptor is abundant in the tonsils: the CB2 RNA measured there matched the amount of CB1 in the brain. In lymphoid organs, CB2 is found most in B lymphocytes, a type of immune cell. Galiègue 1995Human tissueCarayon 1998Human tissueCell / labRayman 2004Human tissueCell / lab
In sections of tonsils and lymphoid organs, CB2 was seen in the B cells of lymphoid follicles; the amount and activity of the receptor changed depending on whether the cell was resting or activated. Researchers think CB2 plays a role in the activation and differentiation of B cells. Carayon 1998Human tissueCell / labRayman 2004Human tissueCell / lab
Student level: terms and cell types
On quantitative PCR, CB2 mRNA in immune tissues was 10–100 times higher than that of CB1; in the spleen and tonsils, CB2 mRNA was equivalent to CB1 mRNA in the central nervous system. At the protein level, too, peripheral blood and tonsil B cells were the leukocyte subsets carrying the most CB2. Galiègue 1995Human tissueCarayon 1998Human tissueCell / labRayman 2004Human tissueCell / lab
On two-color confocal microscopy of the tonsil, CB2 was prominent in the mantle zone of secondary follicles and weak in the germinal center; it decreased as naive B cells differentiated into memory B cells, with the lowest level in proliferating centroblasts; with CD40 stimulation it rose markedly within the first 24 hours. Another study in secondary lymphoid organs found high staining in the mantle and marginal zones with an antibody that recognizes only the inactive receptor, and in germinal centers with the other antibody, and suggested that active CB2 is concentrated in the germinal center. Carayon 1998Human tissueCell / labRayman 2004Human tissueCell / lab
Expert level: method notes and numbers
Tonsil · lymph node: RNA level of the receptor gene in human tissue (tissue consensus data). CB2 is 7.0 in the tonsil and 6.9 in the lymph node: the two highest tissues after the spleen (8.4). CB1 is 3.5 in the tonsil and 2.9 in the lymph node. Human Protein AtlasHuman tissue
Method note
Carayon 1998: immunopurified anti-CB2 antibodies, two-color confocal microscopy in tonsil tissue; CP55,940 increased CD40-mediated proliferation of naive and germinal center B cells, and this was blocked by the CB2 antagonist SR 144528 but not by the CB1 antagonist SR 141716. Rayman 2004: N-terminal and C-terminal antibodies, dual immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry; moderate migration with 2-AG in the Raji B cell line. The two studies diverge on the CB2 level in the germinal center. The lymph node is not named in the abstracts ("secondary lymphoid organs"); the lymph node figure is from HPA. Carayon 1998Human tissueCell / labRayman 2004Human tissueCell / labHuman Protein AtlasHuman tissue
The tonsils and lymph nodes are from the Z-Anatomy model.
What is known about CBD?
There is no verified CBD finding or guide topic specific to this region.
Which receptor and enzyme genes are read in this region?
Values in this region for the genes in the map's layer selector: besides CB1 and CB2, the other targets of cannabinoids, the enzymes that make and break down endocannabinoids, and the liver enzymes that break down CBD and THC.
| Gene | What does it do? | Tonsil | Lymph node | Tissue where it is read the most |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Receptors | ||||
| CB1 CNR1 | Cannabinoid receptor | 3.5 | 2.9 | cerebral cortex (18.6) |
| CB2 CNR2 | Cannabinoid receptor | 7.0 | 6.9 | spleen (8.4) |
| TRPV1 | Heat and chili pepper sensor · ion channel | 1.6 | 2.2 | liver (21.8) |
| GPR55 | Long an "orphan" receptor · in the cell membrane | 4.2 | 2.7 | testis (4.4) |
| PPARγ PPARG | Gene switch · in the cell nucleus | 1.9 | 4.2 | adipose tissue (153.2) |
| 5-HT1A HTR1A | Serotonin receptor · in the cell membrane | 0.0 | 0.0 | hippocampal formation (6.1) |
| TRPV2 | Relative of TRPV1 · ion channel | 15.2 | 23.1 | lung (29.5) |
| Endocannabinoid enzymes | ||||
| NAPE-PLD NAPEPLD | Makes anandamide | 2.5 | 3.1 | kidney (13.9) |
| FAAH | Breaks down anandamide | 2.5 | 2.3 | testis (46.0) |
| DAGLα DAGLA | Makes 2-AG | 0.2 | 0.4 | cerebral cortex (12.3) |
| DAGLβ DAGLB | Makes 2-AG | 6.3 | 7.0 | adrenal gland (15.2) |
| MGL MGLL | Breaks down 2-AG | 18.4 | 11.3 | adipose tissue (161.3) |
| ABHD6 | Breaks down 2-AG | 7.1 | 7.5 | liver (60.7) |
| ABHD12 | Breaks down 2-AG | 38.8 | 28.7 | epididymis (125.2) |
| Enzymes that break down CBD and THC | ||||
| CYP3A4 | Breaks down CBD and THC | 0.0 | 0.8 | liver (3,367.1) |
| CYP2C19 | Breaks down CBD | 0.1 | 0.0 | liver (178.0) |
| CYP2C9 | Breaks down THC | 0.2 | 0.1 | liver (1,607.6) |
RNA level shows how much the gene is read in this tissue; it does not directly show the amount of protein or how active an enzyme is. This region corresponds to two HPA tissues; the light on the map shows the higher of the two. Human Protein Atlas (layers)Human tissue
Identifiers and citation
- Palatine Tonsil
- Palatine Tonsil · MeSH D014066 · UBERON 0002373 · Wikidata Q15146576
- Lymph Nodes
- Lymph Nodes · MeSH D008198 · UBERON 0000029 · Wikidata Q170758
- Receptors
- CB1 (CNR1, UniProt P21554) · CB2 (CNR2, UniProt P34972)
How to cite: cbd.school editorial team. Tonsils and lymph nodes: the endocannabinoid system. Endocannabinoid system 3D map, cbd.school. Last updated October 24, 2026. https://cbd.school/learn/endocannabinoid-system-map/lenf/
The body model is derived from BodyParts3D (DBCLS, CC BY 4.0) and Z-Anatomy (CC BY-SA 4.0); receptor levels from Human Protein Atlas v25 (CC BY 4.0). The map, text and downloaded images are CC BY-SA 4.0. An independent expert review has not been done yet. All licenses
Other pages of the map
Overview: what the endocannabinoid system is, the feedback brake at the synapse, CBD's targets, lesson mode, data and licenses.
Sources
Show 5 references
- Human Protein Atlas v25: tissue RNA consensus data (rna_tissue_consensus.tsv, HPA and GTEx, nTPM) and brain region data (rna_brain_region_hpa.tsv, nTPM), CNR1 (ENSG00000118432) and CNR2 (ENSG00000188822); v25.proteinatlas.org, file date November 6, 2025, downloaded October 24, 2026. Uhlén M et al. Tissue-based map of the human proteome. Science. 2015;347(6220):1260419. License CC BY 4.0. PMID 25613900 · doi:10.1126/science.1260419 Human tissue
- Galiègue S, Mary S, Marchand J et al. Expression of central and peripheral cannabinoid receptors in human immune tissues and leukocyte subpopulations. Eur J Biochem. 1995;232(1):54-61. PMID 7556170 · doi:10.1111/j.1432-1033.1995.tb20780.x Human tissue
- Carayon P, Marchand J, Dussossoy D et al. Modulation and functional involvement of CB2 peripheral cannabinoid receptors during B-cell differentiation. Blood. 1998;92(10):3605-15. PMID 9808554 · doi:10.1182/blood.V92.10.3605 Human tissueCell / lab
- Rayman N, Lam KH, Laman JD et al. Distinct expression profiles of the peripheral cannabinoid receptor in lymphoid tissues depending on receptor activation status. J Immunol. 2004;172(4):2111-7. PMID 14764676 · doi:10.4049/jimmunol.172.4.2111 Human tissueCell / lab
- Human Protein Atlas v25: tissue RNA consensus data (rna_tissue_consensus.tsv, HPA and GTEx, nTPM), the 17 genes in the map's layer selector: CNR1, CNR2, TRPV1, GPR55, PPARG, HTR1A, TRPV2, NAPEPLD, FAAH, DAGLA, DAGLB, MGLL, ABHD6, ABHD12, CYP3A4, CYP2C19, CYP2C9; v25.proteinatlas.org/download/tsv/rna_tissue_consensus.tsv.zip, downloaded October 24, 2026. Uhlén M et al. Tissue-based map of the human proteome. Science. 2015;347(6220):1260419. License CC BY 4.0. PMID 25613900 · doi:10.1126/science.1260419 Human tissue