Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 14, 2026

Isolation and Transplantation of Different Aged Murine Thymic Grafts.
Published on: May 13, 2015
Feeding the fire: the role of defective bone marrow function in exacerbating thymic involution
Jarrod A Dudakov1, Danika M P Khong, Richard L Boyd
1Immune Regeneration Laboratory, Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories (MISCL), Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Victoria, Australia 3800.
Abstract:
Most of the steps of lymphopoiesis have been elucidated but contentious issues remain, particularly regarding the identity and function of the earliest lymphoid progenitors that leave the bone marrow and seed the thymus. Hematopoiesis is effectively continuous throughout life, but there is a profound decline in immune function with increasing age, driven by thymus involution and severely curtailed B cell development. A key question is whether defects in bone marrow progenitors, such as reduced differentiation and repopulation potential, are the common denominator. While thymic involution temporally precedes overt HSC functional decline, a logical supposition is that the latter exacerbates the former. This review explores this possible link, and concludes that improving bone marrow function is fundamental to sustained thymic regeneration.
Related Concept Videos
Hypothyroidism II: Pathophysiology
Primary Lymphoid Organs
The red bone marrow is a soft, spongy tissue nestled in the interior of long bones such as the humerus and femur. It is the site...
Hyperthyroidism II: Pathophysiology
Graves Disease II: Pathophysiology
Functions of Thyroid Hormones
TH is indispensable for the normal development and maturation of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems during fetal and childhood growth. It facilitates bone mineral turnover and regulates protein synthesis in developing tissues, contributing significantly to overall growth and...
Bone Marrow Sampling and Transplants
The transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which aim to destroy the...

