thymus
Sign in to saveThe thymus (: thymuses or thymi) is a specialized primary lymphoid organ of the immune system. Within the thymus, T cells mature. T cells are critical to the adaptive immune system, where the body adapts to specific foreign invaders. The thymus is located in the upper front part of the chest, in the anterior superior mediastinum, behind the sternum, and in front of the heart. It is made up of two lobes, each consisting of a central medulla and an outer cortex, surrounded by a capsule.
AI overview
The thymus is a specialized immune organ located in the upper front part of your chest where T cells mature and develop into critical components of your body's adaptive immune system. It matters because these T cells help your body recognize and fight specific foreign invaders, making the thymus essential for your immune defenses.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Anatomy.Name
- Thymus
- Anatomy.Latin
- thymus
- Anatomy.Greek
- θύμος
- Anatomy.Image
- Illu thymus.jpg
- Anatomy.Caption
- Position of the human thymus
- Anatomy.Precursor
- Third pharyngeal pouch
- Anatomy.System
- Lymphatic system, part of the immune system
- Anatomy.Lymph
- Tracheobronchial, parasternal
- Anatomy.Function
- Support the development of functional T cells
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
28 sectionsContents
- Structure
- {{anchor|Medulla}}Microanatomy
- Blood and nerve supply
- Variation
- Development
- Involution
- Function
- T cell maturation
- Positive selection
- Negative selection
- Clinical significance
- Immunodeficiency
- Autoimmune disease
- Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome
- Thymoma-associated multiorgan autoimmunity
- Myasthenia gravis
- Cancer
- Thymomas
- Lymphomas
- Thymic cysts
- Surgical removal
- Society and culture
- History
- Other animals
- Additional images
- References
- Books
- External links
The thymus (: thymuses or thymi) is a specialized primary lymphoid organ of the immune system. Within the thymus, T cells mature. T cells are critical to the adaptive immune system, where the body adapts to specific foreign invaders. The thymus is located in the upper front part of the chest, in the anterior superior mediastinum, behind the sternum, and in front of the heart. It is made up of two lobes, each consisting of a central medulla and an outer cortex, surrounded by a capsule.
The thymus is made up of immature T cells called thymocytes, as well as lining cells called epithelial cells, which help the thymocytes develop. T cells that successfully develop react appropriately with MHC immune receptors of the body (called positive selection) and not against proteins of the body (called negative selection). The thymus is the largest and most active during the neonatal and pre-adolescent periods. By the early teens, the thymus begins to decrease in size and activity and the tissue of the thymus is gradually replaced by fatty tissue. Nevertheless, some T cell development continues throughout adult life.