Sex determination

Sex determination

Sex determination refers to the process by which an organism's sex is determined, often at fertilization, based on the nature of the sperm that fertilizes the egg. In embryology, sex determination specifically refers to the differentiation of the testis or ovary from the genital ridge, while sex differentiation refers to the masculinization process. In genetics, sex determination is determined by the inheritance of a particular combination of sex chromosomes, which is the deciding factor in whether an organism is male or female.From: Scientific and Technical Terms in Bioengineering and Biological Engineering [2018], Teleology and Defining Sex [2018], Dictionary of Biomedical Science [2019]

Emerging Technologies

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Published in Sylvia Uzochukwu, Nwadiuto (Diuto) Esiobu, Arinze Stanley Okoli, Emeka Godfrey Nwoba, Christpeace Nwagbo Ezebuiro, Charles Oluwaseun Adetunji, Abdulrazak B. Ibrahim, Benjamin Ewa Ubi, Biosafety and Bioethics in Biotechnology, 2022

Rufus Ebegba, Joy Onwude

The advent of synthetic CRISPR/Cas9-based gene-drive systems allows very specific gene editing in the mosquito, as well as validation of genes expected to be essential in processes of interest for malaria control, such as reproductive capacity, mate-seeking behaviour, immunity against parasites and sex determination (NEPAD, 2018).

Teleology and Defining Sex

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Published in The New Bioethics, 2018

Nathan K. Gamble, Michal Pruski

In embryology, ‘sex determination’ generally refers to the differentiation of the testis or ovary from the genital ridge and ‘sex differentiation’ refers to the masculinization process (Sharpe 2006). However, this article will show that both sexes possess an intrinsic nature. The existing definition of ‘sex determination’ seems to beg the question regarding what is an accident of that nature and what is essential3 to it. Thus, ‘sex differentiation’ will refer to acquiring of the essence of a particular sex; ‘sex determination’ will refer to the clinical determination of sex.

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Teleology and Defining Sex