ANTHR310 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Liminality, Phenotype, Trisomy
Document Summary
Are genes deterministic: we have a lot of genes that we do not express. We know that sex differences have something to do with chromosomes. Xy usually leads to male development, xx to female development. The cell human nucleus has 46 chromosomes, or coiled stand of dna genetic material. Egg and sperm have 23, which combine on fertilization. Because the father can contribute both x and y sex chromosomes, he casts the deciding vote on whether the baby is born a boy or a girl. Sex is expressed by many genes, and everyone has the genes required to become typical male or female. The sry gene usually tips the balance toward maleness. Hermaphroditos: in greek mythology, the son of hermes and aphrodite, who was fused with a female nymph and therefore both sexes. Most people have the same 46 chromosomes in all cells. Some people have more or fewer, in this case either one sex chromosome (monosomy) or three (trisomy)