Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: VxH
I don't think you really understand what is going on here.

The women in the articles that I listed and most of the other people spoken of in these threads are chimeric. This means that some cells in their bodies are XX cells and some are XY. The genotypes of these cells are completely normal. Typically chimeras originate from two embryos fusing in the womb, or, in two of the cases I mentioned, from transfer of embryonic cells from a fraternal twin to the sister. Depending on when these cells are transferred and where they end up there are different results. The woman I spoke about who is 80% XY and 20% XX probably is only female phenotypically because she resulted from the fusion of a male and female embryo, and the cells from the female embryo happened to develop into the reproductive system. Her ovaries are not completely normal, but they were normal enough to allow her to give birth to a normal boy.

Chimeric people have completely normal genotypes. There are other causes of indeterminate sex that involve genetic mutations that might be passed on to offspring (there's an intriguing article I can look up if anyone is interested covering half a dozen cases of reverse-sexed XX men and one hermaphroditic XX individual who opted for reconstructive surgery to a male phenotype--all in one big inbred family!), but generally individuals in these cases are sterile.

For the most part these people are not "mutants," and their genes are just as good as yours.

52 posted on 02/27/2004 12:57:38 PM PST by ahayes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies ]


To: ahayes
I would love to read the articles you mentioned...Freepmail me if you like :)
53 posted on 02/27/2004 1:08:17 PM PST by BossLady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies ]

To: ahayes
>>their genes are just as good as yours.

"Good"?

What standard are you measuring this "goodness" against?

From a biological/ scientific perspective, "goodness" would be the observed, measured, effect of these genes upon the overall fitness of the population.

68 posted on 02/27/2004 3:51:31 PM PST by VxH (This species has amused itself to death.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson