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Dimensions of Human Sexuality, 6/e
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Biological Sexual Development
Dimensions of Human Sexuality 6/e Cover Image

Glossary

activating effects  Effects of hormones that occur after an organ has developed and influence its activity at any particular moment. 274
adolescence  The period from the onset of puberty until the attainment of adulthood, about ages twelve to twenty. 282, 317
adrenal gland  A small endocrine gland atop each kidney, the source of a wide variety of important hormones. 88, 126, 279
androgen-insensitivity syndrome  A condition in which the body cells that might respond to testosterone lack the necessary testosterone-binding sites to use this hormone. The result is an XY female. 278
anovulatory  Without ovulation (syn: anovular). 283
cells  The microscopic basic units of life. 270
chromosomes  The rodlike physical carriers of the genes. 270
cortex  The outer portion of an organ. 274
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)  The complex chemical that stores genetic information in every cell. 270
embryo  The unborn child through the eighth week of development after conception. 273, 411
fetus  The unborn child from the ninth week of development until birth. 276, 412
gametes  Sex cells (sperm and ova). 271
genital ridges  Clusters of cells in an embryo that develop into ovaries or testes. 274
gonads  The sex glands; a woman's ovaries, a man's testes. 271
hermaphroditism  The condition of having both ovaries and testes. 278
karyotype  A chart showing all of the chromosomes of a person. 270
medulla  The inner portion of an organ. 274
meiosis  Sex cell formation, production of sperm or ova. 271
menarche  The onset of menstruation. 89, 283
mitosis  The division of one cell into two (ordinary cell division). 270
Müllerian ducts  A group of cells that develop into the female internal reproductive organs. 276
Müllerian inhibiting hormone  A hormone from the embryonic testes that inhibits development of female internal organs. 276
neuroendocrine  Involving the nervous system and hormones. 282
organizing effect  How hormones influence early development of some parts of the body. 274
puberty  The earlier portion of adolescence, during which a person becomes functionally capable of reproduction. 282, 317
sex chromosomes  Special chromosomes (X and Y) that help determine the sex of a person. 270
spermarche  A boy's first ejaculation. 283, 317
TDF (testis determining factor)  A gene that promotes development of a male. 273
Wolffian ducts  A group of cells that develop into the male internal reproductive organs. 276
zygote  A fertilized ovum. 272, 410