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The thymus was known to the ancient Greeks, and its name comes from the Greek word θυμός (thumos), meaning "anger", or in Ancient Greek, "heart, soul, desire, life", possibly because of its location in the chest, near where emotions are subjectively felt; [31] or else the name comes from the herb thyme (also in Greek θύμος or ...
The mediastinum (from Medieval Latin: mediastinus, lit. 'midway'; [2] pl.: mediastina) is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity.Surrounded by loose connective tissue, it is a region that contains vital organs and structures within the thorax, namely the heart and its vessels, the esophagus, the trachea, the vagus, phrenic and cardiac nerves, the thoracic duct, the thymus and the lymph ...
Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) are specialized cells with high degree of anatomic, phenotypic and functional heterogeneity that are located in the outer layer (epithelium) of the thymic stroma. The thymus, as a primary lymphoid organ, mediates T cell development and maturation.
Hassall's corpuscles (also known as thymic bodies) are structures found in the medulla of the human thymus, formed from eosinophilic type VI thymic epithelial cells arranged concentrically. These concentric corpuscles are composed of a central mass, consisting of one or more granular cells, and of a capsule formed of epithelioid cells.
The thymus is located between the inferior neck and the superior thorax. At puberty, by the early teens, the thymus begins to atrophy and regress, with adipose tissue mostly replacing the thymic stroma.
The thymus is a primary lymphoid organ of the immune system. It is a butterfly-shaped organ consisting of two lobes, located in the top part of the chest, that supports T cell development via specialized microenvironments that ensure a diverse, functional, and self-tolerant T cell population.
Histology of the thymus showing the cortex and medulla Minute structure of thymus. The ability of T cells to recognize foreign antigens is mediated by the T cell receptor (TCR), which is a surface protein able to recognize short protein sequences ( peptides ) that are presented on MHC .
Immune system: the system that fights off disease; composed of leukocytes, tonsils, adenoids, thymus, spleen; Integumentary system: skin, hair, nails; Lymphatic system: structures involved in the transfer of lymph between tissues and the blood stream, the lymph and the nodes and vessels that transport it