GENERAL HISTOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -How big is the thymus gland? The thymus gland is quite big in babies and children. It reaches its biggest weight of about 1 ounce during puberty. After puberty, it begins to shrink, and in older adults, it’s rather small.

Detailed explanation-2: -Once you reach puberty, the thymus starts to slowly shrink and become replaced by fat. By age 75, the thymus is little more than fatty tissue. Fortunately, the thymus produces all of your T cells by the time you reach puberty.

Detailed explanation-3: -The thymus is a vital yet unusual organ. Vital in that it is responsible for producing immune cells; unusual in that it is largest at childhood and progressively shrinks after puberty. The result is less T cell production, which should lead to a higher risk of infection or cancer.

Detailed explanation-4: -Assertion :The thymus gland is quite large in size at the time of birth but shrinks in size with age. Reason: Immune system produces most of its T cells during childhood and requires very few new T cells after puberty.

Detailed explanation-5: -Therefore, thymic involution after puberty is due to the age-related decline of DHEA, which is due to an effect of peripheral T cells, and the program of thymic involution is induced by immune activation throughout an individual’s life.