The Thymus Gland
The thymus gland lies in the upper thorax above or near the heart, posterior to the sternum. It's function is to produce thymosine and thymopoietin which aid in developing T lymphocytes, a type of WBC involved in immunity (Timby & Smith, 2013, p. 751); however, the rate of production decreases with age. During childhood, the thymus is large but shrinks by adulthood. Functional disorders of the thymus gland are rare (p. 751). So remember this gland as an important part of the immune system.
The thymus gland lies in the upper thorax above or near the heart, posterior to the sternum. It's function is to produce thymosine and thymopoietin which aid in developing T lymphocytes, a type of WBC involved in immunity (Timby & Smith, 2013, p. 751); however, the rate of production decreases with age. During childhood, the thymus is large but shrinks by adulthood. Functional disorders of the thymus gland are rare (p. 751). So remember this gland as an important part of the immune system.