at what age does the thymus reach its maximal size
Thymus The thymus enlarges during childhood, and atrophies at puberty. Unlike many other organs, the thymus is at its largest in childhood. The thymus reaches maximum weight (20 to 37 grams) by the time of puberty. The thymus of older people is scarcely distinguishable from surrounding fatty tissue. With aging the thymus slowly shrinks, eventually degenerating into tiny islands of fatty tissue. By the age of 75 years, the thymus weighs only 6 grams. In children the thymus is grayish-pink in colour and in adults it is yellow.