PSYC 2076 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Teratology, Prenatal Vitamins
Document Summary
Chapter 3 the start of life: genetics and prenatal development. It starts with the gametes sex cells that form a new cell at conception. Once that one lucky sperm cell penetrates the membrane of the ovum, together they create a zygote new cell formed by process of fertilization. Chromosomes determine everything from hair color and eye color to sex. Whether you are a male or female depends on the presence or absence of certain chromosomes. a. The male gametes or sperm cells in humans and other mammals are heterogametic - contain one of two types of sex chromosomes. The female gametes or eggs however, contain only the x sex chromosome and are homogamatic. The sperm cell determines the sex of an individual in this case. If a sperm cell containing an x chromosome fertilizes an egg, the resulting zygote will be xx or female.
