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.
How is sex largely determined in human beings, and what plays a key role in this process?
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In human beings, sex is largely determined by the presence of sex chromosomes. The key players in this process are the X and Y chromosomes. Humans typically have 23 pairs of chromosomes, and one of these pairs is the sex chromosomes. Women have two X chromosomes, designated as XX, while men have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, denoted as XY.
The combination of sex chromosomes inherited from the parents during fertilization determines the biological sex of the offspring. If an individual inherits an X chromosome from both parents (XX), they will develop as female. If they inherit an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromosome from the father (XY), they will develop as male.
Thus, the presence or absence of the Y chromosome plays a key role in determining whether an individual will develop into a male or a female. The inheritance pattern of X and Y chromosomes is fundamental to the genetic basis of sex determination in human beings.
In human beings, sex is largely determined by the combination of sex chromosomes inherited from both parents. Females typically have two X chromosomes (XX), and males have one X and one Y chromosome (XY). The key role in this process is played by the presence or absence of the Y chromosome. The inheritance of a Y chromosome from the father results in a male offspring, while the absence of a Y chromosome leads to a female. This genetic mechanism ensures the transmission of sex-linked traits and is fundamental to the development of sexual characteristics during embryonic and pubertal stages.