title: Thymic output, ageing and zinc.
abstract: The role of the thymus is vital for orchestration of T-cell development and maturation. With increasing age the thymus undergoes a process of involution which results in a reduction in thymic size, function and output. Until relatively recent it was not feasible to accurately measure the magnitude of age-related loss of thymic function. With the discovery of T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs), which are the stable by-products of the newly generated T-cells, it is now possible to quantitatively measure the extent of thymic output. This review examines the available data on immune function and zinc deficiency and places them in the context of the aims of the ZINCAGE project which include the evaluation of the role played by zinc in maintaining thymic output in healthy elderly individuals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Faculty of Investigative Sciences, Chelsea and Westminster Campus, 369 Fulham Road, London, SW10 9NH, UK. w.mitchell@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Wayne A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Stuart A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aspinall
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D015032:Zinc