G A G E K R A U S E7 B

J A N U A R Y 1 3 , 2 0 1 4

The Thymus Gland

Location

Upper chest underneath the breastbone

Directly under the sternum

Divided into two lobes– left and right– on the front of the trachea

Shrinks as humans become older

Hormone Production

Thymosin – changes lymphocytes into T-cells

Thymopoietin – relatively unknown purpose

Humoral Factor – creates B-cells

Thymic Factor – divides the T-cells into different areas of identification

Importance

Creates the immune system and helps prevent disease and infection

Maintains homeostasis by keeping out foreign invaders

Without the Thymus, humans would easily die from disease

Feedback Mechanisms

The Thymus gland does not have any antagonistic hormones

The Thymus gland has little to feedback mechanisms either because they do not exist or not enough is known about the gland.

Early growth 1 stops cells from entering the Thymus in early childhood

Thymus MalfunctionLowered production of T-cells

Higher susceptibility to disease and infection

Increased chance to gain an autoimmune disorder such as HIV/AIDS, as well as cancer, and most commonly DiGeorge syndrome

Can be treated by surgically removing the Thymus, a Thymus transplant, and chemotherapy

Works Cited

www.innerbody.com/image_endoov/lymp04-new.htmlhttp://www.livestrong.com/article/185768-disorders-of-the-thymus-gland/www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-thymus-gland.htmhttp://www.hormone.org/hormones-and-health/the-endocrine-system/endocrine-glands-and-types-of-hormones#Thymushttp://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/immune-system6.htmhttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/594569/thymushttp://www.endocrineweb.com/endocrinology/overview-thymus