Lymphatic System Thymus
The Thymus a very important organ in the body especially early in life. The body, early in life, must learn to fight off many different types of bacteria, allergens, and viruses. This is an important organ for the body’s immune system, as it is a part of the lymphatic system located in the mediastinum. The thymus is important because it is a maturation organ for the creation of specialized lymphocytes. The T-lymphocytes, which specialize in fighting off various organisms circulates lymphocytes around in the spleen, tonsils, and lymph nodes as they develop. Exercise will increase the flow of lymph and therefore will increase ones immune systems production of various specialized T-lymphocytes. Strenuous exercise on the other hand will have the opposite affect and can decrease ones immune functions because the body will be too busy repairing damage caused by over exercising, yet most Americans don’t have this as a problem over weight and increased obesity from inactivity is most of the concern in today’s society.
One used to have one’s tonsils removed because of the gland inflammation and choking hazards. Doctors have since found out that the tonsils play an important role in the immune system. They help protect against bacteria that may invade tissues in the areas around openings such as nasals and oral cavities. So the thymus, overall, is not the largest of the lymphatic system but could be called one of the most important of glands in the lymphatic system. If you wanted to know the largest of the lymphatic organs it would be the spleen, but I will cover that organ in my next article.
