Women have a homologous pair of X sex chromosomes (XX), while men have a mismatched pair consisting of one normal-sized X and a short Y chromosome (XY).

Unlike most human chromosomes, which are paired with a maternal and a paternal copy, the sex chromosomes do not always form a perfect pair. Humans have 22 pairs of autosomes, but the sex chromosomes, X and Y, do not always ...

Although individuals inherit similar gene sets from both parents, it is the combination of these genes, particularly those on the sex chromosomes, that determines sex. In humans, the presence of either XX (female) or XY (male) sex chromosomes inherited from ...

In human beings, the sex of an individual is predominantly genetically determined. The genes inherited from parents play a key role in deciding whether the individual will be male or female.

In certain reptiles, such as some turtles, the temperature at which fertilized eggs are kept determines the sex of the developing animals. This environmental cue influences whether the offspring will be male or female.