For a long time, science has known the importance of the Y chromosome in determining sex. New research shows that it induces different functioning of all cells.
- Women have two X chromosomes while men have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome.
- The role of the Y chromosome goes beyond sex determination
- It would explain the different reactions between men and women when faced with certain injuries or diseases.
Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, one of which is sex chromosomes. Women have two X chromosomes, and men have an X and a Y chromosome: each of them carries genes. Until now, scientists thought that the role of these chromosomes was only related to the sexual organs. In a study published in Scientific Reportsresearchers explain that the influence of the Y chromosome would be more important.
Action on non-sex organs
They used genetic manipulation to inactivate two male genes on the Y chromosome. This allowed them to see that, following this action, certain signal transmission pathways were modified, but they were linked to the functioning of non-sex organs. . For example, it modified the reaction of cardiac cells to aggressions such as stress or ischemia, a reduction in the flow of the pulmonary artery.
A different operation
“Our work provides a better understanding of how male genes on the Y chromosome allow male cells to function differently from female cells.”, underlines the main author of the study, Christian Deschepper of the University of Montreal. Scientists have found that the functioning of the Y chromosome is different, compared to other non-sex chromosomes. It does not act directly on genes, but rather on cellular functions by modifying the production of proteins.
What impact of the Y chromosome on diseases?
“Men and women do not experience the same manifestations of a disease, neither the same seriousness nor the same consequences”, explains the researcher. “In the future, these results could help us understand why certain diseases occur differently in men and women.“This is the case of Covid-19, the mortality rate is twice as high for men, compared to women. Since this difference was noted, scientists around the world are trying to understand its origin. According to a study, disputed by other researchers, this could be linked to the testicles: Covid-19 attaches itself to cells that express the ACE2 protein.However, they are present in large quantities in the testicles and absent from the ovarian tissue Dutch researchers also believe that the high concentration of ACE2 protein in the blood of men is an explanation for the difference in susceptibility to the disease, compared to women.
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