4 ms·
> These men (or women) have something akin to a Swyer syndrome of identity: Their chromosomal and anatomical gender is male (or female), but their chromosomal/a
by slibhb 6y ago
> These men (or women) have something akin to a Swyer syndrome of identity: Their chromosomal and anatomical gender is male (or female), but their chromosomal/anatomical state does not generate a synonymous signal in their brains. In rats, notably, such a syndrome can be caused by changing a single gene in the brains of female embryos or exposing embryos to a drug that blocks the signaling of “femaleness” to the brain. Female mice engineered with this altered gene or treated with this drug have all the anatomical and physiological features of femaleness, but perform the activities associated with male mice, including mounting females: these animals might be anatomically female, but they are behaviorally male.
This part seems lacking in detail. What is "the signaling of 'femaleness' to the brain"?
- matheusmoreira 6y ago> What is "the signaling of 'femaleness' to the brain"? Embryogenesis depends on cell-to-cell communication. Cells release chemicals that interact with nearby cells and cause them to migrate, specialize, etc. There should be sex-dependent chemical signals that originate male and female nervous systems. Disrupting this process alters the behavior of the mouse. I find it interesting that female-ness is being signaled. When I studied embryology, I learned that female is the default state and the Y chromossome signals male-ness.