胸腺细胞(thymocyte)是指胸腺内的淋巴样细胞。胸腺内还有网状上皮细胞、媬育细胞、巨噬细胞和粒细胞。在皮髓交界处还可见到B淋巴细胞。它可能来自于外周血,不届本文讨论的对象。成年动物的胸腺细胞来源于骨髓多能干细胞,但在胚胎期则来自于卵黄囊、胚肝等造血器官。胸腺细胞的增殖、分化和成熟过程主要在胸腺内完成,但也有少 Thymocyte refers to lymphoid cells within the thymus. Within the thymus, there are reticular epithelial cells, fertile cells, macrophages and granulocytes. In the junction of the skin marrow can also be seen B lymphocytes. It may come from peripheral blood, not the object of this article. Adult animals thymocytes from bone marrow pluripotent stem cells, but in the embryonic stage from the yolk sac, embryonic liver and other blood-forming organs. Thymus cell proliferation, differentiation and maturation is mainly done in the thymus, but there are few