X-chromosome: Why women live longer than men

Men live on average shorter than women. A common explanation for this is that you are drinking more and Smoking, greater risk, more dangerous Jobs to have and rarely go to the doctor. Scientists from Sydney, however, are of the opinion that the real reason has less to do with human behavior than with the sex chromosomes.

Males have a small Y chromosome, which is home to nearly only genes for the sex. To do this, you have a larger X-chromosome, which also takes on further functions. Women have chromosomes, however, have two X. Now, if one of the two X-chromosomes, mutations occur which are harmful, or function, interfere with, so this can be in women the second X chromosome compensates. In the case of men who have only one X chromosome, it is not. Researchers from Australia therefore assume that the shorter life span of men with your "unprotected X-Chromosom" depends.

Observations from the animal Kingdom stüto support the Thesis

As the researchers have looked at the life expectancy of humans and primates, other mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians, arachnids, cockroaches, grasshoppers, beetles, butterflies and moths, and found that in each case, the gender with two different sex chromosomes had an average of 17.6 percent shorter life expectancy. In some animals the thing is exactly exactly Vice versa: In the case of birds, butterflies and moths, males have two of the same and females have different sex chromosomes. Female birds, butterflies, and moths actually die earlier than their male counterparts, which supports the assumption of the researchers.

Interesting, but it was not the differences in life span were identical: In the case of species in which the males of different sex chromosome, the female almost 21 percent longer. If it is the other way around, survival of the males, the females by only 7 percent.

ZOU