Thymus

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thymus

Primary lymphoid organ in the mediastinum. Site of T lymphocyte maturation: bone-marrow-derived progenitors undergo positive selection (MHC restriction) in the cortex, negative selection (self-tolerance) in the medulla. Involutes after puberty; ~70% reduction by age 45.

Entry Metadata

Field	Value
ID	thymus
Name	Thymus
Status	draft
Last reviewed	2026-06-05
Atlas	01-human
Scale	06-organ
Uberon	UBERON:0002370
Fma	FMA:9607

Cross-Atlas Connections

containsT Helper Cell containsDendritic Cell part-ofImmune System part-ofHuman Body part-ofLymphatic System composed-ofT Cytotoxic Cell composed-ofRegulatory T Cell connects-toMyasthenia Gravis

Sources

Boehm T, Swann JB. Thymus involution and regeneration: two sides of the same coin? Nat Rev Immunol. 2013;13(11):831-838. · PubMed 24052146
Klein L, Kyewski B, Allen PM, Hogquist KA. Positive and negative selection of the T cell repertoire: what thymocytes see (and don't see). Nat Rev Immunol. 2014;14(6):377-391. · PubMed 24830344
Anderson MS, Venanzi ES, Klein L, et al. Projection of an immunological self shadow within the thymus by the Aire protein. Science. 2002;298(5597):1395-1401. · PubMed 12376594
Lynch HE, Goldberg GL, Chidgey A, Van den Brink MR, Boyd R, Sempowski GD. Thymic involution and immune reconstitution. Trends Immunol. 2009;30(7):366-373. · PubMed 19540807
Markert ML, Hummell DS, Rosenblatt HM, et al. Complete DiGeorge syndrome: persistence of profound immunodeficiency. J Pediatr. 1998;132(1):15-21. · PubMed 9469993
Bhatt VR, Bhatt SS, Limbu K, Silberstein PT. Management of thymoma and thymic carcinoma. J Oncol Pract. 2015;11(4):297-299. · PubMed 25667274