Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Molecular analysis in true hermaphrodites with different karyotypes and similar phenotypes

Journal Article · · American Journal of Medical Genetics
; ;  [1]
  1. H.G.M. Ssa. Facultad de Medicina (Mexico); and others

True hermaphroditism is characterized by the development of ovarian and testicular tissue in the same individual. Muellerian and Wolffian structures are usually present, and external genitalia are often ambiguous. The most frequent karyotype in these patients is 46,XX or various forms of mosaicism, whereas 46,XY is very rarely found. The phenotype in all these subjects is similar. We studied 10 true hermaphrodites. Six of them had a 46,XX chromosomal complement: 3 had been reared as males and 3 as females. The other 4 patients were mosaics: 3 were 46,XX/46,XY and one had a 46,XX/47,XXY karyotype. One of the 46,XX/46,XY mosaics was reared as a female, whereas the other 3 mosaics were reared as males. The sex of assignment in the 10 patients depended only on labio-scrotal differentiation. Molecular studies in 46,XX subjects documented the absence of Y centromeric sequences in all cases, arguing against hidden mosaicism. One patient presented Yp sequences (ZFY+, SRY+), which contrast with South African black 46,XX true hermaphrodites in whom no Y sequences were found. Molecular analysis in the subjects with mosaicism demonstrated the presence of Y centromeric and Yp sequences confirming the presence of a Y chromosome. Gonadal development, endocrine function, and phenotype in the 10 patients did not correlate with the presence of a Y chromosome or Y-derived sequences in the genome, confirming that true hermaphroditism is a heterogeneous condition. Both Mexican and non-South African 46,XX true hermaphrodites may be SRY positive. 51 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.

OSTI ID:
539188
Journal Information:
American Journal of Medical Genetics, Journal Name: American Journal of Medical Genetics Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 63; ISSN 0148-7299; ISSN AJMGDA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Combined Leydig cell and Sertoli cell dysfunction in 46,XX males lacking the sex determining region Y gene
Journal Article · Mon Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 1995 · American Journal of Medical Genetics · OSTI ID:105210

46, XX true hermaphroditism associated with a terminal deletion of the short arm of the X chromosome
Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · American Journal of Human Genetics · OSTI ID:133644

Exchange of terminal portions of X- and Y-chromosomal short arms in human XY females
Journal Article · Fri Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1989 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (USA) · OSTI ID:5352694