Gender Testing

This assignment requires you to read the information at the following website: http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/gender/click.html

1. What sex chromosomes does a normal human female have? ______________

2. What sex chromosomes does a normal human male have? _______________

3. Record the medical interviewer’s comments for Jane Doe.

4. After Jane’s physical exam, did you conclude that she was male or female? Why?

5. Does Jane’s karyotype suggest that she has the sex chromosomes of a female

or a male? _________________

6. Human embryos have both ________________________ ducts that could

develop into the female reproductive system and ______________________ ducts

that could develop into the male reproductive system.

7. What gene carried on the Y chromosome is crucial for the development of a male?

8. The protein made from the gene in the previous question stimulates the development

of the testes, which begin producing testosterone to stimulate

development of the ____________________ ducts and anti-Müllerian

hormone which leads to the regression of the __________________ ducts.

9. An individual with a non-functioning copy of the SRY gene would have the

physical characteristics of a ________________ .

10. Does Jane have a functional SRY gene? _______________

11. Did you decide to qualify or disqualify Jane for her sporting event?

12. After making your decision, what condition did you learn that Jane has?

13. What hormone does Jane’s body fail to respond to? ____________________

14. Does Jane have any portion of the male reproductive system? If so, what?

15. Does she have any portion of a female reproductive system? If so, what?

16. Does this explain why Jane doesn’t menstruate?

17. Does Jane have the same level of estrogen as a male would have? _______

18. Why does Jane have breasts?

19. Why is her underarm and pubic hair sparse?

20. What chromosome is Jane’s defective gene located on? ________

21. Based on Jane’s defective gene, the scientific, medical, and sports

communities would all agree that Jane’s gender is _____________.

22. Jane has always believed herself to be female. Pretend that you are either Jane

or her fiancé. How would you feel upon learning of Jane’s condition?

You may be surprised to learn that a gene for maleness is carried on that particular chromosome.

It is important to note that the sex chromosomes are a) not just carrying sex-related

information, b) that sex-related genes are not where you might assume them to be,

and c) that the X and Y chromosomes are only homologous in a small region.