ADVANCES IN THE GENETIC PROCESS OF HUMAN SEX-DIFFERENTIATION

In humans, the first stage of sex differentiation is determined by the sex chromosomal constitution and the genes required in the pathway le ading gonadal organogenesis. The interaction of SRY, ZFY and several a utosomic and X-linked genes in this process is analyzed. It has been s uggested that sex-differences are present immediately after fertilizat ion. Sex differentiation depends on a cascade of complex molecular and morphological events that occur at the appropiate time and in the cor rect sequence during ontogeny.