Abstract
THE thymus is a lymphatic organ the role of which in immune reactions remains unknown. Thymus differs from other lymphatic tissues (lymph nodes and spleen) histologically and in a number of additional characteristics. One of the more interesting observations is that the mass and histology of this organ in germ-free animals are normal despite the markedly reduced mass of conventional lymphatic tissue1. The thymus, therefore, appears to develop independently of the antibody-producing organs. However, there is evidence to suggest that the antibody mechanism does not develop normally without thymus. Archer and Pierce2 found considerable inhibition of antibody production at 8 weeks in rabbits thymectomized at birth. Similarly, there was marked inhibition of subsequent antibody production in chickens from which the bursa of Fabricius was excised at one week3. By contrast, bursectomy of 10-week-old chickens3 or thymectomy of adult rabbits4 failed to influence antibody production.
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References
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ARNASON, B., JANKOVIĆ, B. & WAKSMAN, B. Effect of Thymectomy on ‘Delayed’ Hypersensitive Reactions. Nature 194, 99–100 (1962). https://doi.org/10.1038/194099a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/194099a0
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