Molecular mechanisms and functional significance

Sex differences exist between men and woman not only in epidemiology clinical manifestation pathophysiology treatment and outcomes but in the development of different diseases. These differences could be explained not only by biological/sex differences (i.e. chromosomes hormones) between men and women but also by the gender differences that depend on the interaction of the individual with the environment and society (I.e. society lifestyle nutrition different forms of stress dust and heat). Overall all these factors together lead to epigenetic modifications in the developing fetus the child and the adult that in turn can be transmitted through the germline and affect the development of disease 1 2. Sex and gender effects are frequently interrelated and interact in many diseases.