Gametes - Sex Determination Flashcards
3 levels of sexual development
1. Chromosomal sex
XY or XX
2. Gonadal sex
Development of gonads
genetically determined
3. Phenotypic sex
internal and external structures
determined by gonadal hormonal secretion
2 distinct systems - internal ducts and external genitalia
period all embryos go through
hermaphroditic period
what happens @ 5th week of gestation
Gonadal primordia arise
Primordial germ cells become cortex/inner medulla
Cortex → develops into ovary
Medulla → develops into testis
what happens @ 7th week of gestation
If XY chromosomes are present, medulla → testis
cortex (of primordial germ cells) becomes
ovary
medulla (of primordial germ cells) becomes
testis
what happens at conception
chromosomal sex is determined
XX or XY
what happens at week 9
cortex develops into ovary in females
describe the 7th week embryo
undifferentiated gonads can develop into phenotypic male or female gonads
⇒ sexually bi-potential
where is the gene for the differentiation of testis from the bipotential gonad
on the Y chromosome
XX and XY - passing on to offspring
Karyotyping
analysis of chromosomes
karyotype
a pictorial display of metaphase chromosomes from a mitotic cell
cytogenetics
the study of chromosome
what tissues are appropriate for chromosome study (preparing a karyotype)
cells that can be stimulated to undergo cell division in vitro
chromosome only visible with light microscope during mitosis
how is the karyotype then prepared
- treated with colchicine which arrests the cells in metaphase (no longer need cells to be in metaphase)
- stain to observe the chromosomes - Giemsa Stains (bound to certain parts of the chromosomes)
- photograph or visualise using a computer
- analysis of chromosomes
size, position of centromere, banding and staining regions determined
22 pairs of autosomes + female sex chromosomes
22 pairs of autosomes + male sex chromosomes
Turner’s Syndrome
Kleinefelter Syndrome
Jacob’s Syndrome
what does the use of fluorescent dyes as a new karyotyping method allow for
dye can bind to specific regions of chromosomes
variations in colour can be detected, resulting in a digital image
pairing of chromosomes becomes easier - homologous pairs show identical colours
aberrations and crossovers are easily recognised
detect translocations not previously recognisable
karyotypes may be prepared using
lymphocytes
metaphase - FISH
housekeeping genes - ones we know will be expressed
interphase FISH
⇒ don’t have to induce metaphase
Smith Magenis Syndrome
microdeletion
green control probe is present in both paternal and maternal Chr 17
red SMS probe only fluoresces on a single chromosome
how to identify all chromosomes at once
use probes of different colours
describe the genome of cancer cells
cancer cells are characterised by aberrations in chromosome size, number, banding patterns
chaotic genome