We should probably bring a little teleology into embryology. Just basic stuff, like the fact that all human embryos would be female if it weren't for testosterone. And given that Y chromosomes cause testosterone production, human embryos are 'supposed to' develop into male or female foetuses. And given the wonderful way that the same bas…
We should probably bring a little teleology into embryology. Just basic stuff, like the fact that all human embryos would be female if it weren't for testosterone. And given that Y chromosomes cause testosterone production, human embryos are 'supposed to' develop into male or female foetuses. And given the wonderful way that the same basic tubular structure can fold and close in different ways, the resulting Müllerian Ducts or Wolffian Ducts can occasionally make errors in the ways they develop and close up. And there you have it: embryological errors causing intersex presentations.
I would not suggest that any human be called an error, a mistake or anything like that. But we must recognise that sometimes the recipe does not come out of the oven quite right. Just as when your egg custard separates, or your soufflé doesn't rise, you have not made a third desirable dish, you have made a mistake. Same ingredients, slightly different proportions, very different intended results, but then it goes wrong. Any cook knows what I mean. So do embryologists.
We should probably bring a little teleology into embryology. Just basic stuff, like the fact that all human embryos would be female if it weren't for testosterone. And given that Y chromosomes cause testosterone production, human embryos are 'supposed to' develop into male or female foetuses. And given the wonderful way that the same basic tubular structure can fold and close in different ways, the resulting Müllerian Ducts or Wolffian Ducts can occasionally make errors in the ways they develop and close up. And there you have it: embryological errors causing intersex presentations.
I would not suggest that any human be called an error, a mistake or anything like that. But we must recognise that sometimes the recipe does not come out of the oven quite right. Just as when your egg custard separates, or your soufflé doesn't rise, you have not made a third desirable dish, you have made a mistake. Same ingredients, slightly different proportions, very different intended results, but then it goes wrong. Any cook knows what I mean. So do embryologists.
Chris: "We should probably bring a little teleology into embryology."
Apropos of which, you may recollect my quote of biologist-extraordinaire J.B.S. Haldane:
"Teleology is like a mistress to a biologist: he cannot live without her but he's unwilling to be seen with her in public." 😉🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._B._S._Haldane#Quotations
But how's your health these days? Hope things are looking up for you. Had your full set of childhood re-vaccinations yet?