It has even been known as the supposed bearer of the soul of the human being, in ancient times, for having functions that are so little known and even today a bit mysterious. We are talking about the thymus, a gland that is very close to the heart and that is essential for the maintenance of our immune system, although it is so unknown to people.

We have prepared an article that unveils what the thymus is, its main functions, how it acts in our immune system and which are the most common problems that can affect it, as well as its spiritual meanings, for those who are open to believe that science and spirituality do not exclude each other, but rather add up to each other. Clear up all your doubts about the thymus right now!

What is the thymus and what are its functions?

The thymus is a gland. Glands are structures formed by epithelial tissue of a specific type: the glandular. Their function is to synthesize and release substances, such as hormones. The thymus, therefore, is a gland that actively participates in the regulation of the body's immune defense. It is considered one of the primary organs of the lymphatic system, a complex network of vessels and smallIn simpler words, the lymphatic system is a major contributor of white blood cells, which help protect the body against invading microorganisms.

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The thymus is located in the thorax, in front of the heart and between the lungs. Its size varies with the development of the body. From the time a person is born until adolescence, this gland reaches 40 grams. From then on, it begins to reduce in size with advancing age, but this reduction does not cause it to lose its functions, although it does cause adecrease in the immunity of elderly people.

Thymus functions

Perhaps the thymus is not very popularly known, because explaining its role is not as simple as contextualizing the function of the heart or the lungs. The thymus' main function is the maturation of T-lymphocytes.

The bone marrow is responsible for the production of immature lymphocytes. After this process, they migrate to the thymus, which synthesizes and matures them into T-lymphocytes.at the moment it "analyzes" and "recognizes" that they will not be counterproductive to the body's natural proteins and antigens.

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To get an idea of the importance of the thymus, the fewer T-lymphocytes we have in our body, the lower our immunity and the more vulnerable we are to bacteria, viruses, and other types of risks that can make us sick.

The parts of the thymus

The thymus is divided into two lobes, which are joined together, and also by numerous lobes of different sizes and shapes. The two main lobes are usually not symmetrical and can vary in shape and size. Most commonly, the right lobe is slightly smaller than the left lobe. In addition, the thymus is lined by a "capsule" of connective tissue.

The lobes of the thymus also have two subdivisions: the cortex, the peripheral region, with a large number of lymphocytes, because it is responsible for their intense production; and the medulla, the central region, with few mature lymphocytes.

In addition to lymphocytes, other cells also make up the thymus: the reticular cells and macrophages. All these cells, when they are not selected, matured, and released by the thymus into the bloodstream, are destroyed by the macrophages.

The Thymus in the Language of the Body

According to Cristina Cairo, an expert in the alternative therapy called Body Language, which studies the relationship between diseases of the physical body and our emotions, the thymus is the organ of happiness, because it is related to our soul and our essence. As it is responsible for maintaining our immune system, dysfunctions in the thymus compromise our vulnerability to diseases and infections.

While we are emanating and producing good feelings, such as satisfaction, joy, love and contentment, we strengthen our immune system, because we are "feeding" the thymus with good feelings. When, however, we go through moments of sadness, disappointment, anger, among other negative feelings, the tendency is that this compromises our immune system and we become more susceptible not onlyto simpler illnesses, such as a cold, but also to more serious infections, such as meningitis and pneumonia.

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Staying positive and vibrating good feelings and emotions, therefore, is essential for us to protect our immune system, which has the function of protecting the rest of the body. Trying to live in the midst of good emotions is like living protected by a shield that prevents the body from getting sick.

Main problems of the thymus

Since T lymphocytes are responsible for maintaining the balance of the human immune system, any problem related to the production of these cells can cause problems in a person's immunity.

Thus, the main problem related to the thymus is immunodeficiency, which can happen when there is a defect in the development of this organ or a deficiency in the production of lymphocytes. Those who experience this immunodeficiency are more susceptible to infections caused by viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

If not treated properly, the immunodeficiency can develop into severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), which is a condition caused by the combined deficiency of T, B, and NK cells.

There are other diseases that can affect the thymus, most of them genetic and hereditary - such as thymoma, a tumor of the thymus that can cause several autoimmune diseases, such as thymoma-associated multiorgan autoimmunity (TAMA) and myasthenia gravis. There is also a very rare disease associated with the thymus: DiGeorge syndrome.

DiGeorge Syndrome

DiGeorge syndrome is a very rare disease, caused by a defect in the thymus at birth. This disease can be diagnosed during pregnancy on ultrasound scanning. It is a syndrome caused by alterations in the long arm of chromosome 22, which characterizes it as a genetic disease.

The symptoms of DiGeorge syndrome are quite variable, and each child presents a different picture, because the genetic alterations are distinct in each case. The main consequences of this disease can be:

- delay in growth and development;

- heart problems from the first years of life;

- mental disability;

- learning and communication difficulties;

- compromised immune system;

- skin in bluish tones;

- ears lower than normal;

- cleft palate;

- small mouth or fish mouth shape;

- malformation in the eyes;

- other respiratory problems, weight problems, speech problems, as well as spasms and susceptibility to infections such as meningitis, pneumonia, and tonsillitis.

What to do to have a healthy thymus?

As explained in the previous topic, most of the problems related to the thymus are genetic and hereditary, so their consequences will be noticed already in pregnancy or in the first years of a child's life. In adulthood, the problems that can affect the thymus are tumors and reduced production of T-lymphocytes.

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If you notice that you have been suffering from a high number of infections, colds or other illnesses caused by viruses and bacteria, it is worth making an appointment with an endocrinologist - the doctor responsible for diagnosing and treating the glands - to discuss your recent discomforts and your concerns about the functioning of the thymus. Only a professional can advise you on whether you need to be tested orstart hormone treatment to suppress the defective production of T-lymphocytes.

Curiosities about the thymus

The name of this gland comes from the Greek word "thymus", which can be translated as "vital energy". It is believed that this name was given by the Greeks due to the fact that the thymus is very centrally located in the chest, next to the heart.

The first scholar to realize that the thymus changed size throughout life was the Greek physician and philosopher Claudius Galen of Pergamos, who lived in the first century after Christ.

In former times, some people and even religious currents believed that the thymus guarded the person's soul, given its location and its apparently mysterious function, since it had been little studied;

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4 The thymus was the last of the most important organs in the human body to have its functions fully unveiled. Its importance was only fully revealed in 1961, by French physician Jacques Miller, who surgically removed the thymus from mice to study its function;

5. T-lymphocytes are named after the organ that produces them, the thymus.

Little known, but essential to our immune system and to not being vulnerable to infections that may surprise us throughout our lives, the thymus is still little understood by science. And it is possible that much will be discovered about it in the future, but what we do know today is that you need to watch your immunity. If you notice that you are vulnerable to viruses and bacteria or thatis constantly experiencing illness, see an endocrinologist and take care of your thymus, which takes such good care of you.