Scientists Uncover How Men's & Women's Immune Systems Are Different

Differences in male and female biology have long been understood to result in health disparities between the sexes. Men are more likely to have metabolism-related diseases, for example, while women are more prone to some autoimmune disorders.

Until now, the reasons for those differences weren't fully understood. But thanks to new research out of Australia, the answer appears to lie in the immune system. Specifically, scientists have figured out how male and female immune systems are different1.

For their research, scientists from Monash University and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center looked at the body fat (aka adipose tissue) of male and female mice, observing significant differences in both the amount and the function of regulatory T-cells within the fat.

T-cells, or Treg cells, are a type of immune cell that affect inflammation, immune function, and more. And on top of that, fat tissue itself can affect metabolic function and inflammation, too.

Calling the findings a remarkable breakthrough, Vasanthakumar says, "Not only did we discover dramatic differences in Treg cells, we also discovered a cell type that responds directly to the male sex hormone, testosterone, and is therefore specific to males."

He goes on to explain that this cell signals T-cells to activate, which means whether you're male or female will change the way your immune system functions. "For too long the male physiology and the male immune system was considered the 'norm' in research and in clinical studies," Vasanthakumar notes, adding that their research suggests "strategies to treat a range of diseases may have to be different between men and women."