Sex Differences Flashcards
Sex vs Gender
Sex
- biological aspects
Gender
- cultural aspects
Sex Chromosome
Among the 23 pairs of chromosomes that we have, one pair is the sex chromosome which denotes XX for female and XY for male
Sex-linked Characters
Characteristics (or traits) that are influenced by genes carried on the sex chromosomes (X chromosomes)
Androgen
- A hormone produced by an early embryonic testis (along with anti-mullerian hormone; without them, female sex organs develop)
- Masculinising
- A category of hormones (one of them is testosterone)
Estrogen/Oestrogen
- One of the main female sex hormones (crucial for puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, bone strength, etc.)
- Helps the female reproductive organs (ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus/womb, vagina) to grow and mature
Testosterone
- The primary male hormone
- Responsible for regulating sex differentiation, producing male sex characteristics, spermatogenesis, and fertility
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
- An androgen/hormone that is responsible for turning external genitalia into the male developmental pattern
- keluarnya dari testis
Androstenedione
- A precursor to testosterone
- The body turns andro into the hormone testosterone and a form of estrogen
- High levels of this can lead to PCOS in women
Anti-müllerian hormone
- A hormone produced by an early embryonic testis (along with androgens; without them, female sex organs would develop)
- Defeminising
Defeminisation
- literally, it means reducing/eliminating female-typical qualities in an individual
- in the context of anti-mullerian hormone, this means the inhibition of female sex organ development
Masculinisation
- literally, it means increasing the male-typical characteristics of an individual
- in the context of androgens, it promotes development of male sex organs
Müllerian system
- Precursor of female organs
Wolffian system
- Precursor of male organs
Differentiation
- The development of the phenotypic features of sex, namely the development of the internal and external male or female structures
- This hormone-driven process depends on the presence or absence of Anti-Mullerian hormone or androgenic sex steroids
Gonad
- Gonad refers to a sex gland or a reproductive gland that produces the gametes and sex hormones of an organism
- TESTIS-DETERMINING FACTOR: The SRY gene (located on the Y-chromosome) is what turns the fetal gonad into a testis (2 testes)
- In the absence of this SRY gene, the gonad becomes an ovary
Preoptic area of the Hypothalamus
Kisspeptin
- Activation of this neuron marks the ‘start’ of puberty
- Improves sexual and attraction brain activity in key brain areas in women
- Involved in utero sexual development and determine t he onset of puberty
Organisational effects of hormones
- Effect remains after the hormone has been removed
- Often occurs during a sensitive period
Activational effects of hormones
- Effect is reversible
- The effect is only there when the hormone is present
Pituitary gland (anterior and posterior pituitary gland)
- Anterior: release of LH and FSH and ACTH (controlled by the hypothalamus)
- Posterior: store and release oxytocin and vasopressin (controlled by hypothalamus)
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
Male: Sperm production
Female: Cause follicles to ripen
Luteinising Hormone (LH)
Male: Testosterone production
Female: Induce ovulation and formation of Corpus Luteum
Vasopressin
- A hormone synthesized in the hypothalamus
- Role in the control of the body’s osmotic balance, blood pressure regulation, sodium homeostasis, and kidney functioning
Oxytocin
- A natural hormone that manages key aspects of the female and male reproductive systems
- Made by the hypothalamus; Stored and released by the posterior pituitary gland