What it means
An organ of the immune system that lies behind the sternum, above the heart. Young T lymphocytes travel there from the bone marrow and learn to fight infection without attacking the body's own tissues. The thymus is largest in childhood and shrinks after puberty, slowly turning to fat. It is linked to myasthenia gravis, and removing it (thymectomy) is one treatment.
At a glance
| Spanish | timo |
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Related terms
immune system
The body's defense system of cells, tissues and organs that fights germs and other foreign substances.
lymphatic system
The network of lymph vessels, lymph nodes and organs such as the spleen and thymus that drains tissue fluid and helps fight infection.