Thymosin (TMS)

A thymosin is a hormone-like substance that plays an important role in regulating the immune system.  Two significant types of thymosins include alpha groups, which play a role in DNA transcription and replication, and beta groups, which operate in the cellular cytoplasm and contribute to cell mobility. Thymosin beta 4, for example, which is found in blood platelets and fluids within wounds, helps to regenerate tissue following injuries. Different types of thymosins have been utilized in the detection and treatment of different diseases.Thymosins are small proteins present in many animal tissues. They are named thymosins because they were originally isolated from the thymus, but most are now known to be present in many other tissues. Thymosins have diverse biological activities, and two in particular, thymosins α1 and β4, have potentially important uses in medicine, some of which have already progressed from the laboratory to the clinic.