In males, the most important gene is
SRY, located on the Y chromosome. When present, this causes testis development. The genes responsible for ovary development are not as well characterized.
Once differentiated, the ovaries produce estrogen, and testes produce testosterone. These two hormones provide crucial signals for the differentiation of other sex-related characteristics, including an important set of primitive ducts.
The tubes and cavities that will house the adult's eggs or sperm after they leave the gonads develop from two different sets of ducts. Early in development, every fetus has both sets of ducts. One set, called the Wolffian ducts, has the capacity to develop into the male vas deferens and accessorystructures, which store, nourish, and ejaculate sperm. The other set, called the Müllerian ducts, has the capacity to become the female fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and upper vagina.
In males, testosterone from the testes stimulates the development of the Wolffian ducts. Testosterone also stimulates nearby tissue to swell and form the penis and scrotum. A second hormone made by the testes, called antiMüllerian hormone (AMH), induces the Müllerian ducts to undergo apoptosis, causing them to degenerate.
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