Until now, it was a mystery why many marsupials have two thymuses — key organs in the immune system — instead of the one typical of other mammals. Now researchers have found that the two organs are identical, which suggests why they are there.
“The presence of two organs with identical function can allow the young to produce white blood cells rapidly, leading to faster development of immune defences,” researchers say.
“This may be especially critical in marsupials, as they are born at an immature stage without immune tissues. They need to develop an immune system very quickly while growing in the pouch.”
Read more at University of Sydney