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Glite Dictionary
thymosin

thymosin

1 9.6
A hormone made by the thymus that helps the immune system
  • noun
  • /θaɪˈmoʊsɪn/
  • Specialized
: timosina
  • Doctors often prescribe thymosin to boost the immune system in patients with weakened defenses.

Examples

  • For example, a preliminary report has suggested that thymus extract (thymosin) is effective in chronic HBV infection (n22), and a multicenter trial is underway.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The hormone thymosin is secreted by the thymus and plays a crucial role in stimulating the immune response.

  • Research indicates that thymosin can enhance immunological activity in lymphoid tissues, improving the body's defense against infections.

Surface Forms

thymosin singular
thymosins plural

Morphology

thymosin = thymus (semi-transparent) = thymo + in

Formed from the thymus-related combining form + the protein suffix '-in'; the relation to the thymus is clear but the biochemical/hormonal sense requires domain knowledge.

Etymology

Thymosin comes from the name of the gland thymus and the protein ending -in, the same ending you see in insulin; this shows it is a protein. Because the thymus helps the immune system, thymosin is a protein made by that gland that 'helps' immune activity.