Question

Damage to thymus in a child may lead to:

• A. loss of effector B cells in the body
• B. a reduction in stem cell production
• C. loss of antibody mediated immunity
• D. loss of effector T cells in the body

Answer 1

The correct option is D loss of effector T cells in the body

The ability of the body to protect itself against all types of pathogens which enter the body is called immunity.

Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cells which originate, mature and proliferate in specialised organs in the body known as the lymphoid organs.

The lymphoid organs are of two types: primary lymphoid organs and secondary lymphoid organs.

Bone marrow and the thymus gland are primary lymphoid organs.

All lymphocytes originate in the bone marrow. Based on the site of maturation, there are two types of lymphocytes. B lymphocytes mature in the bone marrow and T lymphocytes mature in the thymus.

Proliferated lymphocytes differentiate into effector cells and memory cells.
Thus, if there is damage to the thymus in a child, maturation of T lymphocytes would not take place. This would eventually lead to the loss of effector T cells and memory T cells in the body.
So, the correct answer is option 'd'.