Human Sexual Development Research Articles

Studies on human sexual development. I. Fetal gonadal and adrenal sex steroids.

Testosterone and estradiol concentrations were measured by isotope-displacement assays in the gonads and adrenals of 54 human fetuses (33 male, 21 female) delivered by hysterotomy. Results were correlated with crownrump (CR) length which ranged from 5 to 24 cm, corresponding to 10–25 weeks fetal age. Testosterone concentration averaged 1400 pg/mg in the testes but was negligible (<90 pg/mg) in the ovaries and in the adrenals of both sexes. Testosterone was found in appreciable amounts in the testes from the youngest specimens, reached a peak at 7–10 cm CR-length and declined by 13–14 cm CR-length. Little or no estradiol was detected in fetal testes, ovaries and adrenals and there were no sex differences in these levels. These data provide evidence that human fetal testicular tissue accumulates testosterone in a pattern suggesting higher androgen production at the time of male genital differentiation.

Human Sexual Development: Man and Woman, Boy and Girl . The Differentiation and Dimorphism of Gender Identity from Conception to Maturity. John Money and Anke A. Ehrhardt. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1973. xvi, 312 pp., illus. Cloth, $12.50; paper, $3.50.

Human Sexual Development: <i>Man and Woman, Boy and Girl</i> . The Differentiation and Dimorphism of Gender Identity from Conception to Maturity. John Money and Anke A. Ehrhardt. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1973. xvi, 312 pp., illus. Cloth, $12.50; paper, $3.50.

Human Sexual Development; Perspectives in Sex Education

Human Sexual Development; Perspectives in Sex Education

Human Sexual Development: Perspectives in Sex Education Donald L. Taylor

Human Sexual Development: Perspectives in Sex Education Donald L. Taylor

Review of Human Sexual Development: Perspectives in Sex Education.

Review of Human Sexual Development: Perspectives in Sex Education.

Comment on Brown and Lynn's Article "Human Sexual Development"

Comment on Brown and Lynn's Article "Human Sexual Development"

Human Sexual Development: An Outline of Components and Concepts

This paper provides an analysis of human sexual development in terms of three related but independent components-1) a person's sexual structures and futnctions (male or female); 2) his sex-role identification and behavior (masculine or feminine); and 3) his genital arousal and behavior relative to source, direction, aim, and object of gratification (heterosexual, homosexual, or other). A suggested conceptual framework relative to human sexual development is presented. The purpose is to differentiate and clarify existing concepts and terms in the psychosexual area.

The cytogenetical consideration of the congenital sexual abnormalities

1) Seventy-nine cases of congenital sexual abnormalities have been experienced in recent six years (1958-1964).They are 15 cases of female pseudohermaphroditism, 13 male pseudohermaphroditism, 5 true hermaphroditism, 7 gonadal dysgenesis, 4 agonadism, 14 hypergonadotrophic testicular dysgenesis and 21 hypogonadotrophic testicular dysgenesis. Cytogenetical study was made in these patients as well as in normal adult males and females, and patients with hypospadia, cryptorchdism, vaginal defect and hymenal atresia.2) The nuclear chromatin was determined on buccal smears of these patients by the rapid staining method devised by the author.Advantages of this method are ease in securing suitable cells and rapidity and simplicity in preparation. Therefore, it is used in massexamination or screening test for the various sexual abnormalities.3) Chromosomal counts and karyotyping were carried out by the short term method of Moorhead et al. on cultured leucocytes, and the chromosomes were prepared by the air drying method and arranged in seven groups according to their length and centromere position.The classification is a slight modification of the international system of nomenclature of human mitotic chromosomes adopted in 1960 in Denver, Colorado.4) The phenotypic males with hromatin-negative nuclei are revealed in all cases of male pseudo-hermaphroditism, 3 of gonadal dysgenesis, 7 of hypergonadotrophic testicular dysgenesis and in all 21 cases of hypogonadotrophic testicular dysgenesis. The phenotypic females with chromatin-negative nuclei are revealed in 4 cases of gonadal dysgneesis, 4 of agonadism and one of true hermaphroditism, and the phenotypic males with chromatin-positive nuclei are revealed in 3 cases of ture hermaphroditism and 7 of hypergonadotrophic testicular dysgenesis. The phenotypic females with chromatin-positive nuclei are revealed in 15 cases of female pseudohermaphroditism and one of true hermaphroditism.5) Five cases of true hermaphroditism, 6 of gonadal dysgenesis, one of agonadism and 7 of hypergonadotrophic testicular dysgenesis showed abnormal sex karyotype: that is, 4 cases of phenotypic female gonadal dysgenesis and a 45/XO chromosomal constitution. Four cases of true hermaphroditism had the basic diploid number of 46 and an XX sex chromosome constitution and one had a 46/XY. Two cases of the phenotypic male gonadal dysgenesis showed a sex-chromosome mosaicism, which had a 46, 45/XY, XO. Agonadism had a 45/XO chromosomal constitution, and 7 cases of hypergonadotrophic testicular dysgenesis had a 47/XXY.This type of 46, 45/XY, XO mosaicism has not previously been reported.6) The correlation of sex-chromatin patterns and sex chromosome constitution was discussed, hypothetical mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of abnormal sexual development are reviewed, and the role of chromosomes in human sexual development is briefly discussed.

Occurrence of sex chromatin in the basal cells of the epidermis and in basal cell carcinomata.

THE characteristic mass of sex chromatin, first observed by Barr and Bertram1 in the nerve cells of the female cat, can be identified in the cells of several different tissues in the human female2. The method of ‘nuclear sexing’ is now a well-recognized technique of exceptional importance in the investigation of disorders of human sexual development. The technique has been applied to the study of human tumours and, provided that good histological preparations have been available, it has been found, in most cases, that sex chromatin was recognizable in the cells of tumours of female patients but not in those of males, that is, the tumour is of the same sex as the host3–5. The principal exception is in the case of teratomata, which are always of female nuclear sex if the host is female, but may be male or female if the host is male3–6. Two alternative hypotheses have been postulated in explanation of this anomaly: one presumes that the tumour arises by parthenogenesis of haploid germ cells followed by endomitosis to restore the diploid chromosome number; the other supposes that the tumour arises by conjugation of two haploid germ cells.

Sex chromosomes and human sexual development: Danon and Sachs: p. 20

Sex chromosomes and human sexual development: Danon and Sachs: p. 20

SEX CHROMOSOMES AND HUMAN SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT

SEX CHROMOSOMES AND HUMAN SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT