Endocrine - Thymus Development

Introduction

Lecture - Head Development | UNSW Embryology - Thymus Development

The thymus has two origins for the lymphoid thymocytes and the thymic epithelial cells. The thymic epithelium begins as two flask-shape endodermal diverticula that form from the third pharyngeal pouch and extend lateralward and backward into the surrounding mesoderm and neural crest-derived mesenchyme in front of the ventral aorta.

• Thymus - bone-marrow lymphocyte precursors become thymocytes, and subsequently mature into T lymphocytes (T cells)
• Thymus hormones - thymosins stimulate the development and differentiation of T lymphocytes

Thymus Development

• Endoderm - third pharyngeal pouch
• Week 6 - diverticulum elongates, hollow then solid, ventral cell proliferation
• Thymic primordia - surrounded by neural crest mesenchyme, epithelia/mesenchyme interaction

References

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• Endocrine Development - All (14277) Review (4620) Free Full Text (3140)

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Additional Images

Adult Histology

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  Pineal (high power)

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Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2026, Mayıs 5) Embryology Endocrine - Thymus Development. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Endocrine_-_Thymus_Development

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© Dr Mark Hill 2026, UNSW Embryology ISBN: 978 0 7334 2609 4 - UNSW CRICOS Provider Code No. 00098G