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Hermaphroditism
Hermaphroditism Having genital attributes of both sexes. Some invertebrates are simultaneous hermaphrodites, and some fish are sequential hermaphrodites that change from male to female, or vice versa, once or more often in the course of a lifetime. In the human species, hermaphroditism is a form of birth defect, also known as intersexuality. It is defined as male or female hermaphroditism, if only testes or ovaries are present, respectively; as true hermaphroditism if both tissues are found as in ovotestes, and as gonadally dysgenic [dysgenetic?] when neither tissue is clearly differentiated. Human hermaphrodites do not have the complete sex organs of both sexes. A congenital condition of ambiguity of the reproductive structures so that the sex of the individual at birth is not clearly defined as exclusively male or exclusively female. The condition is named for Hermes and Aphrodite, the Greek god and goddess of love.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Genital Having to do with the sex organs.
Fish Abbreviation for fluorescence in situ hybridization, a molecular technique used in chromosome studies. FISH employs fluorescent (fluorescein tags) that glow under ultraviolet light to detect the hybridization (the combination) of molecular probes with specific chromosomes and specific chromosome regions. In FISH, the process vividly paints chromosomes or portions of chromosomes with fluorescent molecules.
Female The traditional definition of female was "an individual of the sex that bears young" or "that produces ova or eggs". However, things are not so simple today. Female can be defined by physical appearance, by chromosome constitution (see Female chromosome complement), or by gender identification. Female chromosome complement: The large majority of females have a 46, XX chromosome complement (46 chromosomes including two X chromosomes). A minority of females have other chromosome constitutions such as 45,X (45 chromosomes including only one X chromosome) and 47,XXX (47 chromosomes including three X chromosomes).
Hermaphroditism Having genital attributes of both sexes. Some invertebrates are simultaneous hermaphrodites, and some fish are sequential hermaphrodites that change from male to female, or vice versa, once or more often in the course of a lifetime. In the human species, hermaphroditism is a form of birth defect, also known as intersexuality. It is defined as male or female hermaphroditism, if only testes or ovaries are present, respectively; as true hermaphroditism if both tissues are found as in ovotestes, and as gonadally dysgenic [dysgenetic?] when neither tissue is clearly differentiated. Human hermaphrodites do not have the complete sex organs of both sexes. A congenital condition of ambiguity of the reproductive structures so that the sex of the individual at birth is not clearly defined as exclusively male or exclusively female. The condition is named for Hermes and Aphrodite, the Greek god and goddess of love.
Intersexuality An alternative term for hermaphroditism. In past usage, a genetic etiology was sometimes assumed for intersexuality, and a hormonal etiology for hermaphroditism, but the distinction is now known to be untenable.
Testes The pair of male glands, contained in the scrotum, that produce sperm.
Ovaries The paired female sex glands in the pelvis, located one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries produce eggs and hormones including estrogen, progesterone, and androgens.
Tissue Biological tissue is a group of cells that perform a similar function.The study of tissues is known as histology, or, in connection with disease, histopathology.The classical tools for studying the tissues are the wax block, the tissue stain, and the optical microscope, though developments in electron microscopy, immunofluorescence, and frozen sections have all added to the sum of knowledge in the last couple of decades.
Differentiated Having developed into a specialized cell or tissue type
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Congenital Present at birth.
Condition The term "condition" has a number of biomedical meanings including the following: 1.An unhealthy state, such as in "this is a progressive condition." 2.A state of fitness, such as "getting into condition." 3.Something that is essential to the occurrence of something else; essentially a "precondition." 4.As a verb: to cause a change in something so that a response that was previously associated with a certain stimulus becomes associated with another stimulus; to condition a person, as in behavioral conditioning.
Love The personal experience and manifest expression of being attached or bonded to another person. There is sacred and profane love, and affectional and erotic love. The word is also used in the vernacular as a synonym for like.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Hermann Area District Hospital Hermann Area District Hospital is a hospital in Hermann, Montana (USA).
Hermaphrodite An individual with both male and female genitalia.
Hermosillo doctors All doctors near Hermosillo, Mexico. Doctors who can assist a patient in Hermosillo.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Hypersensitivity State of reactivity to antigen that is greater than normal for the antigenic challenge; hypersensitivity is the same as allergy and denotes a deleterious outcome rather than a protective one.
Hypervariable regions Portions of the light and heavy immunoglobulin chains that are highly variable in amino acid sequence from one immunoglobulin molecule to another, and that, together, constitute the antigen-binding site of an antibody molecule. Also, portions of the T-cell receptor which constitute the antigen-binding site.
Hallucinosis A morbid condition, as in acute alcoholic hallucinosis, which is characterized by recurrent acute attacks marked by hallucinated auditory threats of persecution.
Haptic Having to do with touch and the sense of touch. 2. Pertaining to the skin feelings and the sense of touch.
Hemisphere As applied to the brain, either its left or its right half.
Hermaphroditism
Heterogeneous Dissimilar in type, and having different or opposing characteristics.
Heterophilia The condition in which love and lust are attached to those of the other sex. A condition of being in which sexuoerotic arousal and facilitation or attainment of orgasm are responsive to, and dependent upon a partner of the other morphologic sex.
Heterophobia The condition in which those whose love and lust are attached to persons of the other sex are dreaded or feared.
Heterosexual Characterized by other-sex contact, either as a genital act or as a long-term sexuoerotic status. It is analogous to right-handedness in being in conformity with the norm and therefore is not pathological in itself, though subject to other pathology. A heterosexual person is able to fall in love with, and become the pairbonded sexuoerotic partner of only a person of the other morphologic sex. Paraphilias occur predominantly in association with heterosexual pairing. The ideation and affective state, exclusive of the behavioral component, is heterophilia.
Heterosexualism Other-sex contact, either as a genital act or as a long term sexuoerotic status. It is analogous to right-handedness in being in conformity with the norm and, therefore, not pathological in itself, though subject to other pathology. A heterosexual person is able to fall in love with, and become the pairbonded sexuoerotic partner of only a person of the other morphologic sex. Paraphilias occur predominantly in association with heterosexual pairing.
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