Several hormones produced by the thymus promote the maturation of the T cells prior to their release into the bloodstream. The now mature T cells circulate through the body where they recognize and kill pathogens, activate B cells to produce antibodies, and store the memory of past infections.
Unlike most organs that grow until the age of maturity, the thymus enlarges throughout childhood but slowly shrinks from the onset of puberty and throughout adulthood. As the thymus shrinks, its tissues are replaced by adipose tissue. The shrinking is due to the reduced role of the thymus in adulthood — the immune system produces most of its T cells during childhood and requires very few new T cells after puberty.
By: Tim Taylor. The thymus gland is in the chest, between the lungs and behind the breastbone sternum. It is just in front of, and above, the heart.
The thymus makes white blood cells called T lymphocytes also called T cells. These are an important part of the body's immune system, which helps us to fight infection. The thymus produces all our T cells before we become teenagers. It gradually becomes less active and eventually gets smaller and is replaced by fat tissue.
The thymus is an organ in the upper chest. It is largest in infants and young children, and it decreases in size after puberty. It plays a critical role in immunity. Its primary function involves T cell maturation. These cells help the body fight diseases, cancers, allergens, and more.
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