Systems biology asks new questions about sex differences.
Females and males differ in physiology and in the incidence and progression of diseases. The sex-biased proximate factors causing sex differences in phenotype include direct effects of gonadal hormones and of genes represented unequally in the genome because of their X- or Y-linkage. Novel systems approaches have begun to assess the magnitude and character of sex differences in organization of gene networks on a genome-wide scale. These studies identify functionally related modules of genes that are coexpressed differently in males and females, and sites in the genome that regulate gene networks in a sex-specific manner. Measurement of the aggregate behavior of genes uncovers novel sex differences that can be related more effectively to susceptibility to disease.
Arnold
Arthur P
AP
Department of Physiological Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. arnold@ucla.edu
van Nas
Atila
A
Lusis
Aldons J
AJ
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D049490:Systems Biology / Q000379:methods*