A review in Science argues that the X and Y chromosomes directly influence cancer, heart disease, and cellular aging independently of estrogen and testosterone. For instance, cells that lose a Y chromosome over time struggle to fight tumors, while women retain active genes from both X chromosomes in ways that shift with age. These genetic instructions shape basic immune function and metabolism across a lifetime.
We have long chalked up biological differences between men and women almost entirely to circulating hormones. This research shifts the baseline, though much of the underlying data still relies on mouse models and observational human studies. It is a reminder of how much cellular machinery we are only beginning to map beyond basic genetic profiles.
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