가슴샘,흉선은 T림프구 성숙화를 담당하는 장기로

10대 후반까진 쭉 성장하다 그 이후론 계속 그 크기가 줄어들며 기능도 쭉 떨어지는데

이에 따라 나이가 들수록 면역력 감소,자가면역질환 질환 증가,암 위험 증가 등의 문제가 발생함

현재까지는 퇴화되는 흉선을 되돌리는 가장 확실하고 좋은 방법은 고환 적출뿐인데, 나이가 젊을때 할수록 효과적이나 물론 이는 대중적인 방법이 절대 될 수 없기에

흉선을 되돌리려는 온갖 시도가 있었고 지금도 있지만 아직까진 별다른 성과는 없는듯함


https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16116185/

Effects of castration on thymocyte development in two different models of thymic involution - PubMedAge-associated thymic involution is accompanied by decreased thymic output. This adversely affects general immune competence and T cell recovery following cytoreductive treatments such as chemotherapy. A causal link between increasing sex steroids and age-related thymic atrophy is well established. …pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.00897/full

Postnatal Involution and Counter-Involution of the ThymusThymus involution occurs in all vertebrates. It is thought to impact on immune responses in the aged, and in other clinical circumstances such as bone marrow transplantation. Determinants of thymus growth and size are beginning to be identified. Ectopic expression of factors like cyclin D1 and Myc in thymic epithelial cells (TEC)s results in considerable increase in thymus size. These models provide useful experimental tools that allow thymus function to be understood. In future, understanding TEC-specific controllers of growth will provide new approaches to thymus regeneration.www.frontiersin.org

https://grantome.com/grant/NIH/R01-AG031576-03

Identification of stromal responses during castration-induced thymic regrowth.Under normal conditions, most T lymphocytes are made in the thymus. Unfortunately, the size of the thymus degenerates progressively with age, with a noticeable onset at around the time of puberty. Bec...grantome.com