Miller J F
Thymus Biology Unit, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
Bioessays. 1994 Jul;16(7):509-13. doi: 10.1002/bies.950160711.
The thymus has been an enigmatic organ for centuries. Its true function was revealed only in 1961 when it was shown to be responsible for the proper development of the immune system. This finding has revolutionized the science of immunology and has led to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in resistance to infections and of the pathogenesis of autoimmune and immunodeficiency diseases.
几个世纪以来,胸腺一直是一个神秘的器官。直到1961年其真正功能才被揭示,当时发现它对免疫系统的正常发育至关重要。这一发现彻底改变了免疫学,使人们对感染抵抗力所涉及的机制以及自身免疫性疾病和免疫缺陷疾病的发病机制有了更深入的了解。