activity of sex-chromosome in somatic cells - (May/06/2010 )

I need to know if there is any specific genetic activity of the x- or y-chromosomes in human somatic cells, so that it would be possible to detect some gene product differentially expressed in male- versus female- cells (somatic!).
Thank You.

If I've understood correctly, you're looking for a gene expressed at significantly different levels in male cells than in female cells?

It's impossible to recommend anything specific without knowing the species you're working with, but something related to dosage compensation would be the way I'd go - Xist for example, but surely you know the gender of the cells anyway? What would be the purpose of such an assay?

Sorry if I've misunderstood the question.

Thank you for the answer, sorry for reading so late...

I want to track cells in a regenerated tissue. Example: If a male cell population A is mixed with female cell population B I could track the cell A and B without the need of any labelling or modification.

I'm working with human kerationocytes.

Luca

You could do karyotype spreads and look for the X and Y chromosomes...

can you do FISH, probing using DNA sequences from genes specific to the Y chromosome? Maybe like the SRY gene?

You could just use a lipophilic dye to stain the two cell populations before you mix them together. Then you don't even need the two cell populations to be from different sexes. Sigma make PKH fluorescent dyes in red, green, etc. They are incorporated into the cell membrane.