Turner Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Turner Syndrome, including details on symptoms, causes, chromosomes, prognosis.

Sex differences in brain expression of X- and Y-linked genes.

Xu J, Disteche CM

Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. junxu05@u.washington.edu

The X chromosome plays an important role in brain development and function, as evidenced by its disproportionately high content of genes whose mutations cause mental retardation. These X-linked brain genes may play a role in sexual differentiation if they are expressed at a higher level in XX females than in XY males, due to incomplete X inactivation in females. The expression of several X escapee genes is indeed higher in brain tissues from females when compared to males. In mouse, some of the sex differences are only found in adult brains but not in other tissues. Determining the brain expression pattern of these X escapee genes is important for a better understanding of their role in the neurological phenotypes of XO Turner syndrome.

Published 18 December 2006 in Brain Res, 1126(1): 50-5.
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