What Is Lymph?
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
8. The Thymus
The thymus is a gland that tends to start shrinking when people reach adolescence, but it is still a very important part of the lymphatic system. Its main task is to produce progenitor cells, and these go on to mature in killer white blood cells. They are important for the young because they are needed to make the immune system strong.
When older, the required cells are produced in the bone marrow, and/or by the division of existing cells. Thus, the thymus becomes less important and begins to shrink. It is located just behind the sternum and, by the time people reach old age, it is usually little more than a lump of fatty tissue.
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