Researchers from the University of Helsinki, Finland, have now identified novel X-chromosomal genetic variants that influence human height.
The researchers analyzed thoroughly the commonly occurring genetic variation in chromosome X, one of the two sex-determining chromosomes, in almost 25,000 Northern European individuals with diverse health-related information available. The aim of the study was to find genetic factors that could explain individual differences in several traits, including BMI, height, blood pressure and lipid levels. In addition, the researchers also investigated whether the X chromosome would contribute to some of the well-known differences between men and women in certain traits, such as height.
Hundreds of genetic variants having an effect on these traits have already been identified, but, given its unique nature, the X chromosome has been neglected in most of these previous studies.
Read the full, original story: X-Files: Why Women and Men Differ in Height
