Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Anatomy and Embryology of the Thymus

  • Chapter
The Thymus

Part of the book series: Medical Radiology ((Med Radiol Diagn Imaging))

Abstract

The thymus is an important organ of the immune system (see Chap. 3). Numerous experimental and clinicopathologic investigations have demonstrated that the immunologic function of the thymus is closely dependent on the presence of normal thymic structures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Auger C, Stahli C, Fabien N, Monier J-C (1987) Intracellular localization of thymosin alpha-1 by immunoelectron microscopy using a monoclonal antibody. J Histochem Cytochem 35:181–187

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Champion S, Imhof BA, Savanger P, Thiery JP (1986) The embryonic thymus produces chemotactic peptides involved in the homing of hematopoietic precursors. Cell 44:781–790

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ciba Foundation Symposium, No. 84 (1981) Microenvironments in haemapoietic and lymphoid differentiation. Pitman, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke AG, MacLennan KA (1986) The many facets of thymic involution. Immunol Today 7:204–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dalakas MC, Engel WK, McClure JE, Goldstein AJ, Asconas V (1981) Immunocytochemical characterization of thymosin alpha-1 in thymic epithelial cells of normal and myasthenia gravis patients and in thymic cultures. J Neurol Sci 50:239–247

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeMaagd RA, Mackenzie WA, Schuurman HJ, Ritter MA, Price KM, Broekhuizen R, Kater L, (1985) The human thymic microenvironment: heterogeneity detected by monoclonal antiepithelial antibodies. Immunology 54:745–754

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dourov N (1970) L’atrophie thymo-lymphatique chez le nourrisson après traitment prolongé à l’ACTH. Pathol Europ 5:216–231

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dourov N (1986) Thymic atrophy and immunodeficiency in malnutrition. In: Müller-Hermelink H-K (ed) The human thymus. Histophysiology and pathology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 127–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Fabien N, Auger C, Monier J-C (1988) Immunolocalisation of thymosin alpha-1, thymopoietin and thymulin in mouse thymic epithelial cells at different ages of culture: a light and electron microscopic study. Immunology 63: 721–727

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fujiwara S, Kobayashi H, Awaya A (1988) The distribution and structure of FTS immunoreactive cells in the thymus of the mouse. Arch Histol Cytol 51: 467–472

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gay-Bellile V, Boumsell L, Caillou B, Bernard A (1986) Phenotypic characterization of the thymic microenvironment. Study of the human thymus architecture. Thymus 8:201–223

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilmour JR (1941) Some developmental abnormalities of the thymus and parathyroids. J Pathol Bacteriol 52: 213–218

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hammar JA (1905) Zur Histogenese und Involution der Thymusdrüse. Anat Anz 27: 23–30,41–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammar JAA (1906) Über Gewicht, Involution und Persistenz des Thymus im Postfötalleben des Menschen. Arch Anat Physiol, Anat Abt (Suppl): 91–1982

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammar JA (1926) Der Menschenthymus in Gesundheit und Krankheit: Ergebnisse der numerischen Analyse von mehr als tausend menschlichen Thymusdrüsen. Teil 1: Das normale Organ — zugleich eine kritische Beleuchtung der Lehre des “Status thymicus”. Z Mikrosk Anat Forsch 6 (Suppl): 1–570

    Google Scholar 

  • Haynes BF (1984) The human thymic microenvironment. Adv Immunol 36: 87–142

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henry L (1968) “Accidental” involution of the human thymus. J Pathol Bact 96:337–343

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann W, Möller P, Momburg F, Moldenhauer G, Otto HF (1984) Struktur des normalen Thymus, der lymphofollikulären Thymushyperplasie und der Thymome, dargestellt mit Lectinen, S-100-Protein und Keratin-Antiseren und monoklonalen (epitheliotropen) Antikörpern. Verh Dtsch Ges Pathol 68: 504

    Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann WJ, Möller P, Otto HF (1990) Hyperplasia. In: Givel JC (ed) Surgery of the thymus. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 59–70

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann WJ, Momburg F, Möller P (1988 a) Thymic medullary cells expressing B lymphocyte antigens. Hum Pathol 19:1280–1287

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann WJ, Momburg F, Möller P, Otto HF (1988b) Intra- and extrathymic B cells in physiological and pathological conditions. Immunohistochemical study on normal thymus and lymphofollicular hyperplasia of the thymus. Virchows Arch [A] 412: 431–442

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann WJ, Pallesen G, Möller P, Kunze W-P, Kayser K, Otto HF (1989) Expression of cortical and medullary thymic epithelial antigens in thymomas. An immunohis-tological study of 14 cases including a characterization of the lymphocytic compartment. Histopathology 14: 447–463

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Isaacson PG, Norton AJ, Addis BJ (1987) The human thymus contains a novel population of B lymphocytes. Lancet II: 1488–1490

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaiserling E, Stein H, Müller-Hermelink HK (1974) Interdigitating reticulum cells in the human thymus. Cell Tissue Res 155: 47–55

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kast WM, deWaal LP, McLief CJM (1984) Thymus dictates major histocompatibility complex (MHC) specificity and immune response gene phenotype of class II MHC-restricted T cells but not calls I MHC-restricted T cells. J Exp Med 160:1752–1766

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendall MD (1984) Have we underestimated the importance of the adult human thymus? Experientia 40: 1181–1185

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kruisbeek AM, Longo DL (1985) Acquisition of MCH-restriction specificities: role of thymic stromal cells. Surv Immunol Res 4:110–119

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kyewski BA, Fathman CG, Rouse RV (1986) Intrathymic presentation of circulating non-MHC antigens by medullary dendritic cells. J Exp Med 163: 231–246

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levine GD, Rosai J (1978) Thymic hyperplasia and neoplasia: a review of current concepts. Hum Pathol 9:495–515

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levine GD, Bearman RM (1980) The thymus. In: Johannessen JV (ed) Electron microscopy in human medicine, vol 5. McGraw-Hill, New York, pp 214–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Linder J (1987) The thymus gland in secondary immunodeficiency. Arch Pathol Lab Med 111: 1118–1122

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marino M, Müller-Hermelink H-K (1985) Thymoma and thymic carcinoma — relation of thymoma epithelial cells to the cortical and medullary differentiation of thymus. Virchows Arch [A] 407:119–149

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marrock P, McCormack J, Kappler J (1989) Presentation of antigen, foreign major histocompatibility complex proteins and self by thymus cortical epithelium. Nature 338: 503–505

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mathieson BJ, Fowlkes BJ (1984) Cell surface antigen expression on thymocytes: development and phenotypic differentiation of intrathymic subsets. Immunol Rev 82: 141–173

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McFarland EJ, Scearce RM, Haynes BF (1984) The human thymic microenvironment: cortical thymic epithelium is an antigenetically distinct region of the thymic microenvironment. J Immunol 133:1241–1249

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moore AV, Korobkin M, Olanow W, Heaston DK, Ram PC, Dunnick NR, Silverman PM (1983) Age-related changes in the thymus gland. CT-pathologic correlation. AJR 141: 291

    Google Scholar 

  • Muller-Hermelink H-K (ed) (1986) Current topics in pathology 75. The human thymus. Histophysiology and pathology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Nabarra B, Papiernik M (1988) Phenotype of thymicstromal cells. An immunoelectron microscopic study with anti-IA, anti-MAC-1, and anti-MAC-2 antibodies. Lab Invest 58: 524–531

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakahama M, Mohri N, Mori S, Shindo G, Yokoi Y, Machinami R (1990) Immunohistochemical and histometrical studies of the human thymus with special emphasis on age-related changes in medullary epithelial and dendritic cells. Virchows Arch B Cell Pathol 58: 245–251

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norris EH (1938) The morphogenesis and histogenesis of the thymus gland in man: in which the origin of the Hassall’s corpuscles of the human thymus is discovered. Carnegie Inst Wsh Publ no 496. Contrib Embryol 27:191–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Oates KK, Naylor PH, Goldstein AL (1987) Localization of thymosin alpha-1 production to thymus medullary epithelial cells by use of monoclonal antibodies. Hybridoma 6:47

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Otto HF (1984) Pathologie des Thymus. In: Doerr W, Seifert G, Uehlinger E (eds) Spezielle pathologische Anatomie, vol 17. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Reinherz EL, Schlossman SF (1980) The differentiation and function of human T lymphocytes. Cell 19: 821–827

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ritter MA, Sauvage CA, Cotmore SF (1981) The human thymus microenvironment: in vivo identification of thymic nurse cells and other antigenically distinct subpopulations of epithelial cells. Immunology 44:439–446

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rosai J, Levine GD (1976) Tumors of the thymus. In: Atlas of tumor pathology, second series, fascicle 13. Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Rouse RV, Parham P, Grumet FC, Weisman JL (1982) Expression of HLA antigens by human thymic epithelial cells. Human Immunol 5:21–34

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Royer HD, Acuto O, Fabbi M, Tizard R, Ramachandram K (1984) Genes encoding the Tib subunit of the antigen/MHC receptor undergo rearrangement during intrathymic ontogeny prior to surface T3/Ti expression. Cell 39:261–266

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ruco LP, Pisacane A, Pomponi D, Stoppacciaro A, Pecarmona E, Rendina EA, Santoni A, Boraschi D, Tagliabue AT, Uccini S, Baroni CD (1990) Macrophages and interdigitating reticulum cells in normal human thymus and thymomas: immunoreactivity for interieukin-1 alpha, interleukin-1 beta and tumour necrosis factor alpha. Histopathology 17:291–299

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • SavagnerP, ImhofBA, Yamada KM, Thiery J-P (1986) Homing of hemopoietic precursor cells to the embryonic thymus: characterization of an invasive mechanism induced by chemotactic peptides. Cell Biol 103:2715–2727

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmitt D, Monier JC, Dardsenne M, Pleau JM, Bach JF (1982) Location of FTS (facteur thymique serique) in the thymus of normal and autoimmune mice. Thymus 4:221–231

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schuurman H-J, Krone WJA, Broekhuizen R, van Baarlen J, van Veen P, Goldstein AL, Huber J, Goudsmit J (1989) The thymus in aquired immune deficiency syndrome. Comparison with other types of immunodeficiency diseases, and presence of components of humanimmunodeficiency virus type 1. Am J Pathol 134: 1329–1338

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scollay R (1983) Intrathymic events in the differentiation of T lymphocytes: a continuing enigma. Immunol Today 4:282–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Serrate SA, Schulof RS, Leonaridis L, Goldstein AL, Sztein MB (1987) Modulation of natural killer cell cytotoxic activity, lymphokine production, and interleukin 2 receptor expression by thymic hormones. J Immunol 139: 2338

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singer KH, Wolf LS, Lobach DF, Denning SM, Tuck DT, Robertson AL, Haynes BF (1986) Human thymocytes bind to autologous and allogeneic thymic epithelial cells in vitro. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83: 6588–6592

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steinmann GG (1984) Altersveränderungen des menschlichen Thymus. Habilitationsschrift, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kiel

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinmann GG (1986) Changes in the human thymus during aging. In: Muller-Hermelink H-K (ed) The human thymus. Histophysiology and pathology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 43–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Stutman O, Good RA (1974) Duration of thymic function. Semin Hematol 7: 504–523

    Google Scholar 

  • Suster S, Rosai J (1990) Histology of the normal thymus. Am J Surg Pathol 14:284–303

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sztein MB, Goldstein AL (1986) Thymic hormones — a clinical update. Springer Semin Immunopathol 9:1–18

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sztein MB, Serrate SA, Goldstein AL (1986) Modulation of interleukin 2 receptor expression on normal human lymphocytes by thymic hormones. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 83:6107–6111

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takacs L, Savino W, Monostori E, Ando I, Bach J-F, Dardenne M (1987) Cortical thymocyte differentiation in thymomas: an immunohistologic analysis of the pathologic microenvironment. J Immunol 138:687–698

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van Baarlen J, Schuurman H-J, Huber J (1988) Acute thymus involution in infancy and childhood: A reliable marker for duration of acute illness. Hum Pathol 19: 1155–1160

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van Ewijk W (1988) Cell surface topography of thymic microenvironments. Lab Invest 59:579–590

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • von Gaudecker B (1978) Ultrastructure of the age-involuted adult human thymus. Cell Tissue Res 186: 507–525

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • von Gaudecker B (1986) The development of the human thymus microenvironment. In: Müller-Hermelink HK (ed) The human thymus. Histophysiology and pathology. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 1–41

    Google Scholar 

  • von Gaudecker B, Müller-Hermelink HK (1980) Ontogeny and organization of the stationary non-lymphoid cells in the human thymus. Cell Tissue Res 207: 287–306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • von Gaudecker B, Steinmann GG, Hansmann M-L, Harpprecht J, Milicevic NM, Müller-Hermelink H-K (1986) Immunohistochemical characterization of the thymic microenvironment. A light-microscopic and ultrastructural immunocytochemical study. Cell Tissue Res 244:403–412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wekerle H, Ketelson VP, Ernst M (1980) Thymic muscle cells. Lymphoepithelial complexes in neuronic thymuses: morphological and serological characterization. J Exp Med 151: 925–944

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weller GL (1933) Development of the thyroid, parathyroid, and thymus glands in man. Carnegie Inst Wsh Publ no 443. Contrib Embryol 24: 93–143

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. W. J. Hofmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. F. Otto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Abteilung Röntgendiagnostik, Radiologische Klinik der Universität Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 3, W-7400, Tübingen, Germany

    Eberhard Walter

  2. Abteilung für Pädiatrische Radiologie, Klinikum der Universität Heidelberg —Kinderklinik—, Im Neuenheimer Feld 153, W-6900, Heidelberg, Germany

    Eberhard Willich

  3. Department of Radiology, University of California, Medical Center, 505 Parnassus Ave., San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA

    W. Richard Webb M.D.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1992 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Hofmann, W.J., Otto, H.F. (1992). Anatomy and Embryology of the Thymus. In: Walter, E., Willich, E., Webb, W.R. (eds) The Thymus. Medical Radiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84192-7_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-84192-7_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-84194-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-84192-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation