A WEHI study could help solve a long-standing mystery into why a key immune organ in our bodies shrinks and loses its function as we get older. The thymus is an organ essential for good health due to its ability to produce special immune cells that are responsible for fighting infections and cancer. In a world-first, researchers have uncovered new cells that drive this aging process in the —significant findings that could unlock a way to restore function in the thymus and prevent our immunity from waning as we age.
T cells, also known as T lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell that plays a crucial role in our immune system. T cells are essential for identifying and responding to pathogens, such as viruses and bacteria, and for eliminating infected or . The thymus is a small, but mighty, organ that sits behind the breastbone.
It is the only organ in the body that can make T cells. But a curious feature of the thymus is that it is the first organ in our bodies to shrink as we get older. As this happens, the T cell growth areas in the thymus are replaced with fatty tissue, diminishing T cell production and contributing to a weakened .
While the thymus is capable of regenerating from damage, to date researchers have been unable to figure out how to unlock this ability and boost immunity in humans as we age. WEHI Laboratory Head Professor Daniel Gray said the new findings, in , could help solve this mystery that has stumped researchers for decades. "The number of new T cel.