MICROANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -The thymus gland, located behind your sternum and between your lungs, is only active until puberty. After puberty, the thymus starts to slowly shrink and become replaced by fat. Thymosin is the hormone of the thymus, and it stimulates the development of disease-fighting T cells.

Detailed explanation-2: -Unlike mice, humans are born with a full complement of T cells in circulation and lymphoid tissues and the human thymus is largest at birth and is most active up until puberty. After puberty, the thymus starts to involute with age and turns into fatty tissue60.

Detailed explanation-3: -The thymus is part of both the lymphatic system and the endocrine system.

Detailed explanation-4: -Endocrine function The thymus gland secretes a range of peptide hormones synthesised by the thymic epithelial cells, including thymulin, thymopoietin, thymic humoral factor and thymosin (Rezzani et al, 2020).