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THE INCIDENCE OF FOLLICULAR STRUCTURES IN THE HUMAN THYMUS AT AUTOPSY
Author(s) -
Middleton G
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
australian journal of experimental biology and medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0004-945X
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1967.14
Subject(s) - autopsy , myasthenia gravis , incidence (geometry) , follicular phase , medulla , pathology , medicine , physics , optics
Summary A survey of 928 autopsy thymic glands from hospital and accident deaths was carried out to determine the incidence of follicular structures in the human thymic medulla. It was found that, contrary to previous opinions, follicular structures with pale centres are indeed common in the normal human thymus. The incidence in young people is identical with the figure quoted for myasthenia gravis. Follicles are not present in neonates and the incidence decreases with illness and with advancing age. The presence of follicular structures with pale centres in the human thymic medulla cannot be regarded as diagnostic of auto‐immune disease.