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Sex Differences in response to androgens: physiological and pathophysiological

Androgen supplements are given to men with low or reduced levels of testosterone. They are also given to biological women who are transitioning to become trans-men. However, the mechanisms by which androgens affect organ systems are unknown. Moreover, whether responses to androgens differs in males and females is also unknown. This collection in the Biology of Sex Differences of original research articles, alongside some commissioned reviews, will aim to shed light on this important and poorly understood topic. The Editors invite researchers in this area to submit to their work to the journal.

  1. Androgens are important sex hormones in both men and women and are supplemented when endogenous levels are low, for gender transitioning, or to increase libido. Androgens also circulate at higher levels in wom...

    Authors: Alec C. Horton, Mary M. Wilkinson, Isabella Kilanowski-Doroh, Zhejun Dong, Jiao Liu, Benard O. Ogola, Bruna Visniauskas and Sarah H. Lindsey
    Citation: Biology of Sex Differences 2024 15:9
    Content type: Research Published on:

  2. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a pathogen responsible for a wide range of clinical manifestations and potentially fatal conditions. There is a paucity of information on the influence of androgens in the imm...

    Authors: Déborah Cruz Dos Santos, Rafaela de Souza Bittencout, Iago Dórea Arêas, Larissa Silva C. Pena, Carolline Florentino Almeida, Bruna Carolina de Brito Guimarães, Rafael Santos Dantas Miranda Dórea, Thiago Macêdo Lopes Correia, Manoel Neres Santos Júnior, Lorena Lôbo Brito Morbeck, Talita Costa Dos Santos, Clarissa Leal S. Souza, Samira Itana de Souza, Telma de Jesus Soares, Regiane Yatsuda, Guilherme Barreto Campos…
    Citation: Biology of Sex Differences 2023 14:15
    Content type: Research Published on:

  4. Sex-related differences in the occurrence of autoimmune diseases is well documented, with females showing a greater propensity to develop these diseases than their male counterparts. Sex hormones, namely dihyd...

    Authors: Ninaad Lasrado, Ting Jia, Chandirasegaran Massilamany, Rodrigo Franco, Zsolt Illes and Jay Reddy
    Citation: Biology of Sex Differences 2020 11:50
    Content type: Review Published on:

  5. Acutely, testosterone (TES) and other androgens are efficacious vasodilators, both in vitro and in vivo; however, their long-term effects on arterial blood pressure (BP) remain unclear. It was hypothesized tha...

    Authors: Andrea E. Hanson, Mercedes Perusquia and John N. Stallone
    Citation: Biology of Sex Differences 2020 11:48
    Content type: Research Published on:

  7. Estradiol and testosterone are powerful steroid hormones that impact brain function in numerous ways. During development, these hormones can act to program the adult brain in a male or female direction. During...

    Authors: Damian G. Zuloaga, Ashley L. Heck, Rose M. De Guzman and Robert J. Handa
    Citation: Biology of Sex Differences 2020 11:44
    Content type: Review Published on:

  8. Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) of the stomach are the most common GISTs. The risk, incidence, and outcome of cancer are different between the sexes. Whether gender is related to the prognosis of gastr...

    Authors: Jianfang Rong, Sihai Chen, Conghua Song, Huan Wang, Qiaoyun Zhao, Rulin Zhao, Yajing He, Lili Yan, Yanping Song, Fangfei Wang and Yong Xie
    Citation: Biology of Sex Differences 2020 11:43
    Content type: Research Published on:

  10. The hippocampus is central to spatial learning and stress responsiveness, both of which differ in form and function in males versus females, yet precisely how the hippocampus contributes to these sex differenc...

    Authors: Katherine E. Kight and Margaret M. McCarthy
    Citation: Biology of Sex Differences 2020 11:30
    Content type: Review Published on:

  11. Large elastic arterial stiffening and endothelial dysfunction are phenotypic characteristics of vascular aging, a major risk factor for age-associated cardiovascular diseases. Compared to men, vascular aging i...

    Authors: Kerrie L. Moreau, Matthew C. Babcock and Kerry L. Hildreth
    Citation: Biology of Sex Differences 2020 11:18
    Content type: Review Published on:

  12. The role of sex hormones on cellular function is unclear. Studies show androgens and estrogens are protective in the CNS, whereas other studies found no effects or damaging effects. Furthermore, sex difference...

    Authors: Phong Duong, Mavis A. A. Tenkorang, Jenny Trieu, Clayton McCuiston, Nataliya Rybalchenko and Rebecca L. Cunningham
    Citation: Biology of Sex Differences 2020 11:12
    Content type: Research Published on:

  13. Cardiovascular disease increases with age in both sexes. Treatment can require cardiac surgery, where the hearts are pre-treated with protective cardioplegic solution before ischemia and reperfusion (I/R). Whi...

    Authors: Anjali Ghimire, Elise S. Bisset and Susan E. Howlett
    Citation: Biology of Sex Differences 2019 10:42
    Content type: Research Published on: