Sexual Development - Glossary of Terms
- Adrenal glands:
- a pair of glands in males and females, located above the kidneys, which produce a number of hormones, including androgens
- Androgens:
- the main hormones testosterone and dihydrotestosterone secreted from the testes
- Estrogen:
- the primary hormones produced by the ovaries
- Genital folds:
- common to both males and females early in development. In males the genital folds develop into the scrotum and in females develop into the labia majora
- Genital ridges:
- fetal tissue that can develop into either an ovary or a testis
- Genital tubercle:
- common to both males and females early in development. In males the genital tubercle develops into a penis and in females develops into the clitoris.
- Intersexuality:
- An alternative term for hermaphroditism
- Karyotype:
- A photograph of a person's chromosomes, arranged according to size
- Mullerian ducts:
- A system present in both sexes early in fetal development. Upon development this system differentiates into a uterus, fallopian tubes and posterior portion of the vagina.
- Mullerian Inhibiting Substance (MIS):
- Produced by the Sertoli cells, and inhibits Mullerian duct formation
- Ovary:
- female gonad which manufactures estrogens and eggs
- SRY:
- a gene on the Y chromosome whose product instructs the fetal germinal ridge to develop into a testis
- Testes:
- male gonad which manufactures testosterone and sperm
- Urethral folds:
- common to both males and females early in development, in males the urethral folds develop into the urethra and corpora and in females into the labia minora.
- Wolffian ducts:
- a system present in both sexes early in fetal development; upon development, this system differentiates into the epididymis, vas deferens, and seminal vesicles
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APA Reference
Staff, H.
(2007, August 13). Sexual Development - Glossary of Terms, HealthyPlace. Retrieved
on 2024, November 2 from https://www.healthyplace.com/gender/inside-intersexuality/sexual-development-glossary-of-terms
Last Updated: March 14, 2016