Final answer:
The incorrect statement regarding the thymus gland is E. Its thymic corpuscles are the site of T-lymphocyte maturation. T cell maturation occurs throughout the thymic environment, with the cortex and medulla playing key roles, rather than in the thymic corpuscles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that is not correct regarding the thymus gland is E. Its thymic corpuscles are the site of T-lymphocyte maturation. While the thymus gland is indeed critical for T cell maturation, it is not the thymic corpuscles but rather the overall thymic environment, including the cortex and medulla of the lobules, where T cells mature. The thymus gland, a bilobed structure encapsulated by connective tissue, lies in the mediastinum, above the heart. Each lobe of the thymus is subdivided into lobules. The gland reaches its maximum size around puberty and then undergoes involution.
T-lymphocyte maturation occurs in the thymus as immature thymocytes undergo several stages of development, including positive and negative selection, which dictate their future roles in the immune system. Upon maturation, T cells leave the thymus to perform vital functions in the adaptive immune response. The thymic corpuscles, known as Hassall's corpuscles, are actually more associated with the regulation of T cell development and induction of regulatory T cells.