http://books.nap.edu/html/biological_contributions/

The explosion in the growth of new biological information over the past decade has made it increasingly apparent that many normal physiological functions-and, in many cases, pathological functions-are influenced either directly or indirectly by sex-based differences in biology (also referred to throughout this report as sex differences). Historically, the research community assumed that beyond the reproductive system such differences do not exist or are not relevant. Scientific evidence of the importance of sex differences throughout the life span abounds. Investigators are now positioned to take this work to the next level, at which the mechanisms and origins of such differences can be explored. This will allow scientists and clinicians to understand the implications of these differences for human health. (Au)