Keshav Bhatia, Academic Content Writer at Edumarz
Sex determination happens in a variety of ways in animals, in some animals it is the environmental factors, the temperature where the fertilized eggs are kept determines the sex of the organisms in animals such as crocodilians.
Some animals like clownfish and snails can change their sex.
In most Mammals, including humans, sex is determined genetically.
Which means that the genes inherited from parents decide the sex of the child.
The Sex Chromosomes X and Y chromosomes are the only odd chromosomes in the 23 pair of chromosomes humans have, the other 22 pairs are somatic chromosomes and always are perfect pairs.
All Ova in female bodies have 23 chromosomes, 22 of which are somatic and one is the Sex Chromosome, which is always the X chromosome. All children always get one X chromosome from their mothers.
All Sperms in male bodies also have 23 Chromosomes, 22 of which are somatic and one is Sex Chromosome, that chromosome can either be X or Y.
If a Sperm carrying the X chromosome fertilizes the Ovum, it’ll result in an XX combination, and the fertilized egg will develop into a female.
If a Sperm carrying the Y chromosome fertilizes the Ovum, it’ll result in an XY combination, and the fertilized egg will develop into a male.
Sex of the Child is determined by what chromosome they inherit from their father. Child inheriting X Chromosome will be a female and the one inheriting Y chromosome will be a male.
The Sex chromosomes are the only chromosome that are not always perfect pairs.
The Y chromosome is shorter than the X chromosome.
