Edited by Dr Hiroki Oota
Human adaptation to the environment is often plastic, but this plastic nature is regulated by genetic polymorphisms, which are inherited by descendants through the germ line. In this thematic series in Journal of Physiological Anthropology, we discuss how physiological polytypisms have been generated in the process of human evolution, from the perspective of physiological anthropology, population genetics, and molecular evolution.
Physiological responses to cold exhibit individual variation that can be affected by various factors, such as morphological characteristics, seasonal changes, and lifestyle; however, the genetic factors associ...
Diversity among human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules has been maintained by host-pathogen coevolution over a long period of time. Reflecting this diversity, the HLA loci are the most polymorphic in the human g...
In our previous studies, we found that the Ile394Thr SNP in the melanopsin gene (OPN4) was functionally associated with the pupillary light reflex. This indicates the possibility that OPN4*Ile394Thr is associated...