Current concepts of the immunological function of the thymus.

Introduction. ...................................... Lymphopoiesis. ................. : ................... Lymphocyte compartments. ........................ Origin of thymus lymphocytes. ..................... Proliferation of thymus lymphocytes. ................ Fate of thymus lymphocytes. ....................... Regulation of thymus lymphopoiesis ................. Evidence linking some lymphocytes to immunity. ...... Effects of Thymectomy .............................. Lymphocyte population. .......................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437 . . . . . . , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438 ..................... 440 ..................... 443 ..................... 445 ..................... 447 ..................... 451 ..................... 456 ..................... 456 Immunological capacity ................................................ 460 Susceptibility to infection. ............................................... 46g Reconstitution of Thymectomized Animals. .................................. 47 I Lymphoid cells. ....................................................... 471 Thymus grafts. ........................................................ 473 Thymus in diffusion chambers. ........................................... 476 Thymus extracts. ....................................................... 478 Immunological Tolerance. ................................................ 479 Relationship to Disease. : ................................................. 482 Immunological deficiency diseases. ....................................... 483 Autoimmunity ......................................................... 487 Neoplasia ............................................................. 494 General Discussion. ...................................................... ,498