ABSTRACT
Recent investigations have demonstrated convincingly that the thymus gland is an endocrine organ, secreting peptides that influence lymphoid tissue structure and function (1). Data we have collected now suggest that the thymus may also have other endocrine functions. In this brief review, I shall attempt to delineate what we have learned about the relationship between the thymus gland and the reproductive system, to consider the significance of this interaction, and finally to suggest a broader role for the thymus within the endocrine system.
