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How the thymus shaped immunology and beyond
Author(s) -
Miller Jacques
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1111/imcb.12220
Subject(s) - autoimmunity , immunology , epigenetics , biology , transplantation , cancer , immunodeficiency , immune system , medicine , genetics , surgery , gene
Barely 60 years ago, the thymus was considered to be a vestigial organ with no known function or just a graveyard for dying lymphocytes. Now, the thymus and its cells cover a vast area of immunology, genetics and epigenetics relating to medicine, including inflammation, infection, vaccination, dysbiosis, immunodeficiency, allergy, autoimmunity, transplantation, tissue repair, pregnancy and cancer. New technology and approaches, now becoming available, will lead to a much deeper understanding of many of these conditions. Hence, the thymus and its cells will be occupying researchers and clinicians for decades to come.