On average women live for about 30 years after the menopause. About 60-70% of consultations at the general practitioner and hospital specialist levels are for people over the age of 60, the majority of who are females. Therefore it is crucial to examine the effect of oestrogen prior to the menopause and how it interacts with other systems at cellular level. It is also important to examine why cells multiply and differentiate more efficiently in an oestrogenic milieu. This will give a better understanding of the degenerative processes of the menopause and will have profound implications on the design of effective hormone replacement therapy protocols.