ANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -Your thymus is a small gland in the lymphatic system that makes and trains special white blood cells called T-cells. The T-cells help your immune system fight disease and infection. Your thymus gland produces most of your T-cells before birth.

Detailed explanation-2: -The thymus makes white blood cells called T lymphocytes. These are also called T cells. These are an important part of the body’s immune system, which helps to fight infection. The thymus gland grows to its largest size during childhood and makes all the T cells we need before we become teenagers.

Detailed explanation-3: -THE THYMUS IS A SPECIALIZED ORGAN THAT DIRECTS THE DEVELOPMENT AND SELECTION OF T CELLS WHICH DIRECT ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY. THYMIC FUNCTION IS SPATIALLY AND TEMPORALLY REGULATED AND WANES WITH AGE. THYMIC OUTPUT IS ESSENTIAL DURING EARLY LIFE TO ESTABLISH IMMUNE COMPETENCE AND HOMEOSTASIS BUT IS DISPENSABLE THEREAFTER.

Detailed explanation-4: -T lymphocytes develop from a common lymphoid progenitor in the bone marrow that also gives rise to B lymphocytes, but those progeny destined to give rise to T cells leave the bone marrow and migrate to the thymus (see Fig. 7.2). This is the reason they are called thymus-dependent (T) lymphocytes or T cells.

Detailed explanation-5: -The two neuropeptides gonadotropin-releasing hormones I and II (GnRH I and II), as well as dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine, are also produced by T cells and provide autocrine, paracrine and endocrine functions.