title: Reevaluating current models of thymic involution.
abstract: It is generally accepted that thymic involution commences, or at least accelerates, at puberty due to increases in sex steroid and declines in growth hormone production. As a result of these hormonal changes, the development of the most immature intrathymic progenitors is blocked. However, aspects of this model are now being questioned. The present chapter re-evaluates a number of findings on which traditional models of thymic involution are based and reviews new data that, taken together, indicate a need to revise current views of thymic involution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine 173216, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Encarnacion
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Montecino-Rodriquez
authors.forename: Hyeyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dorshkind
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D018448:Models, Immunological; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*