The primary training ground for your immune cells shrinks as you age
The thymus gland, the primary site for training the body's immune cells, reaches its peak size during puberty and then steadily shrinks for the rest of a person's life.
Located just behind the breastbone, the thymus is a specialized 'school' where 95% of T-cells are eliminated during a rigorous selection process to ensure they don't attack the body's own tissues. By the time an individual reaches old age, the thymus has shrunk by 90%, with much of its functional tissue replaced by fat.
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