Additional Evidence for Lymph Node Degeneration to be an Important Obstacle for Attempts at Thymus Rejuvenation

The thymus atrophies with age, and since its primary function is to support the maturation of T cells, this means that the supply of new T cells, fresh and ready for action, also declines with age. This contributes greatly to immunosenescence, the progressive age-related failure of the immune system to respond to pathogens and destroy damaged or malfunctioning cells. Numerous research groups are attempting to restore the thymus to youthful size and activity, and thus also restore the supply of T cells, and reverse loss of immune function. A wide variety of approaches are under development, from gene therapies and small molecules aimed at the controlling proteins of thymic activity to tissue engineering and cell therapies. Thymic rejuvenation is only one aspect of comprehensive restoration of youthful immune function. The hematopoietic stem cell population in bone marrow that generates immune cells becomes damaged and declines in function with age. These calls must be replaced in a manner that is far safer, more reliable, and cost-effective than current hematopoietic stem cell transplants. The accumulated debris of years of malfunctioning, damaged, and senescent immune cells must be safely destroyed. Further, of late the compelling argument has been made that lymph nodes become so dysfunctional with age that they will block the benefits of raised numbers of effective immune cells. Lymph nodes play a vital role in the immune response, acting as a sort of coordination poi...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs