Gene study shows sex differences go deep

Reuters U.K. ^ | July 7, 2006 | Staff

[wouldntbprudent]

[snip]

We saw striking and measurable differences in more than half of the genes' expression patterns between males and females," said Dr. Thomas Drake, a professor of pathology. "We didn't expect that. No one has previously demonstrated this genetic gender gap at such high levels."

[puroresu]

This is politically incorrect science, so it won't be given much attention in the public schools.

[GLDNGUN]

So you mean having your male organ removed and taking female hormone pills doesn't really make you a woman??? I'm shocked, I tell you, SHOCKED!

[NellieMae]

What a fun subject!

[funkywbr]

DEEP!

hahaha

heheheh

How do these scientists measure DEEP?~}

[Max in Utah]

How do these scientists measure DEEP?~}

With a finely calibrated instrument, no doubt.

[GOP Poet]

I guess all I have to say to this is . . . indoor plumbing, outdoor plumbing. 'Nuf said.

[wouldntbprudent]

I didn't know that---do you mean the organs wear out essentially? If so, that does sound like they are under special stress.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Not really. It is called chronic rejection. The body rejects the organ and bit by bit destroys it unless you are lucky enough to have received a transplant from an identical twin.

The closer the match the longer it takes for the body to destroy the transplant.

They use immunosuppressive drugs to keep the body from rejecting the transplant right away but unless they destroy the immune system entirely chronic rejection does occur gradually over the years.

There has been some success with doing a bone marrow transplant at the same time as the organ transplant but it is still in the experimental stages.

I have a friend who is on her second transplant, generally there will not be a third done.

You see why I find this so interesting. If we can extend the time it takes for chronic rejection to occur it will be a major breakthrough.

[wouldntbprudent]

Thank you. I never realized that the organ is always rejected, albeit somewhat incrementally if immunosuppressants are used and effective.

Wow. That opened my eyes.

I wonder if the genetic differences between male and female tissue would make a cross-gender transplant even more "foreign" and, therefore, more vulnerable to the process of rejection.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Exactly.

And that is the first thing that sprang to my mind. Perhaps we have been wrong to ignore sex when selecting a transplant recipient.

Most people think that transplant=cure. It is more like remission.

[Conservative4Life]

ping

[wouldntbprudent]

I wonder then if there is also some subclinical implications for transfusing blood between the genders.

At the minimum, Some autoimmune diseases/syndromes/cascades might be triggered.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

It is certainly something to be considered.

I think blood is not considered tissue so it probably would not been included in this study but a future study might be warranted.

[Pharmboy]

Larry Summers...call your office. Oh...you don't have an office anymore.

Nevermind.