INTERSEX PROJECT

INTERSEX PROJECT

Markel Peñalva, Jon Olivas and Irantzu Fernandez

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CHEMISTRY AND INTERSEX

Learning about endocrine and hormones.

THINKING ABOUT INTERSEX

What do we feel about intersex.

PUBBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE

Changes in our body in puberty.

CONCLUSION about the topic

Resume all and mark the main points, giving our opinion.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WHAT IS INTERSEX?

Questions for introducing the topic.

BIOLOGICAL SEX

Learning about the reproductive system.

GENETICS AND INTERSEX

The role of the chromosomes.

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Describing the growth changes in our bodies.

WHAT IS INTERSEX?

Questions for introducing the topic.

What is intersex?

Intersex is a term we use for people who are born with some combination of sex characteristics that don’t fit within the typical binary notion of male or female sex. There are many intersex variations and an estimated 1,5% of the population is born with intersex traits. Intersex people, like everyone else, have their desires and needs. There are common themes and priorities that many intersex individuals share, such as:

• The acceptance and respect they deserve from their family and people around them.
• The right to make informed decisions about their own bodies.
• Connect with others who share similar experiences.
• Legal rights and protections against discrimination.

What is sex and gender?

In biological terms, sex refers to the classification of organisms based on their reproductive functions or their biological and physiological characteristics. Typically, this includes male and female categories or intersex. Gender refers to the roles, behaviors, activities and expectations that society considers appropriate for individuals based on their perceived sex. Sex and gender are used in everyday conversations referring to different concepts.

GENETICS AND INTERSEX

The role of the chromosomes.

Chromosomes

Chromosomes are thread-like structures packed in the DNA. Most of the humans cells contain 23 pairs of chromosomes (in total 46), the twenty-third pair is the sex chromosome and the rest are called autosomes. There are two types of chromosmes; the X chromosmes and the Y chromosomes. This are some facts about the chromosomes:

CHROMOSOME FACTS

BIOLOGICAL SEX

Learning about the reproductive system.

It has two main functions:

• To produce sperm, the male gamete.
• To secrete testosterone, the male hormone.

A gamete is a haploid cell combined with an haploid gamete during fertilization. Sex hormones are chemical messengers that control sexual development and reproduction. This are its main structrures:

Biological sex

As we have said before there are two type of biological sex:

MALE reproductive organ

It consists of a structure that produces female gametes called eggs and secrete the female sex hormone estrogen. This are also some of the functions:

• Receives sperm during the sexual intercourse.
• It develops in her body a fetus.
• Delivers a baby during birth.
• Her breast feeds the baby.

This are its main structures:

FEMALE reproductive organ

FEMALE STRUCTURES

MALE STRUCTURES

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Male structures

• Penis: external genital organ with a long tip called gland penis. The shaft of the penis contains erectile tissues that we can fill with blood and cause an erection and when this occurs the penis gets bigger and stiffer. The urethra passes through the penis.
• Testes: this two are located below the penis. They hang in a sac of skin known as scrotum. Each one contains 30 meters of packed tubules, called seminiferous tubules, this one's produce sperm and secrete testosterone.
• Epididymis: is a tube about 6 meters long lying on the testis. It matures and stores sperm until it leaves the body.
• Ducts and glands: ducts include the vas deferens and ejaculatory ducts, that transport the sperm from the epididymis to the urethra. Glands include the seminal vesicles and prostate gland, which secrete substances that become part of the semen.
• Semen: is a fluid that carries sperm. It goes to the urethra and then out of the body. Semen contains secretions that provide nutrients for energy from the glands.

Interactive question

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Female structures

• External structures: is referred to the vulva and they include the labia, which protect the vagina and the urethra.
• Vagina: is a tube about 9 cm long. It begins at the vulva and goes upward the uterus. It has muscular walls lined with mucous membrane. It receives sperm and is the passway for the baby.
• Uterus: muscular organ and it has a thick lining of tissues, called endometrium. The narrower end of the uterus is called cervix. Is where the fetus is grown and it expands for letting room for the baby. During birth, the contractions of the uterus push the baby through the cervix and out of the body.
• Ovaries: they are egg-shaped organs that lie on a side of the uterus. They produce egg and secrete estrogen. Each egg is located inside the follicle, which it cells help to protect and mature the egg.
• Fallopian tubes: they are extending from the uterus and they reach the ovaries. They transport the eggs that the ovary sends.
• Breasts: each one contains mammary glands, with milk which the baby squeezes and lets the milk out of the ducts and through the nipple.

Interactive question

GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

Describing growth changes in our body.

Embryo growth

We all start as a single cell and soon grow into an embryo. After implantation, the blastocyst is referred to an embryo. The embryonic stage continues until the eighth week after fertilization. During this phase, the embryo increases in size and complexity, developing specialized cells and tissues, and beginning to form most of the major organs. In the second week the embryo there are three layers: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. During the third week after fertilization, the embryo begins to undergo cellular differentiation. Differentiation is the process by which unspecialized cells become specialized. In the next video we will show you better how the embryo develops:

Embryo development

Embryo development:

Prenatal development

Is the human fetus. Notice the details in the face and hands. If we compare it with the embryo there is a remarkable change. Starting from the end of the eighth week until birth, the growing human is known as a fetus. Fetal stage spans approximately 30 weeks. During this phase, the organs finish developing, and the fetus undergoes significant growth in both size and weight. By the 38th week, the fetus is fully developed and ready to be born. A 38-week fetus normally ranges from 36 to 51 centimeters in length and weighs between 2.7 and 4.6 kilograms.

CHEMISTRY AND INTERSEX

Learning about endocrine and hormones.

Next

Endocrine system

The job of this system is to release hormones into bloodstream. Hormones are chemical messengers molecule from the brain that cause changes in certain cells, they regulate and balance the working of organs and cells. The body maintains homeostasis using hormones to regulate the behavior. In the next page are explained the major glands.

6. Thyroid gland

In the neck and it secretes thyroxine, which increases the rate of metabolism.

3. Pancreas

Located in the stomach and the hormones are insulin and glucagon. This two hormones work together to control the level of glucose.

2. Gonads

Male gonads are the testes and secrete testosterone and female ones are the ovaries and secrete estrogen.

1. Adrenal glands

Above the kidneys, the outer part is called the cortex and secretes cortisol, while the inner part is called the medulla and secretes fight-or-flight hormones as adrenaline.

4. Pineal glands

At the base of the brain it secretes melatonin, it mainly controls the sleep-wake cycles.

5. Pituitary gland

Starts off the process of puberty, secretes the growth hormone and is in the brain, exactly in the hypothalamus.

7. Parathyroid glands

Behind the thyroid gland and the parathyroid hormone helps keeping the level of the calcium in the blood.

Interactive game of the endocrine system glands:

HORMONES work

Hormones regulation

Hormones

Hormones are the messengers of the endocrine system. But, now we are going to investigate more about them, we are going to see how do:

Endocrine system diseases

There can be some disorders when a hormone is released. This are the three types:

• Hypersecretion: there are too much hormones released.
• Hyposecretion: there are not enough hormones released.
• Hormone resistance: when the target sell becomes resistant to hormones and don’t respond to them.

They can lead to diseases such as abnormal growth and diabetes.

PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE

Changes in our body on puberty.

What is puberty?

Puberty is the process of physical maturation where a teenager reaches sexual maturity and becomes capable for reproduction. The boys develop testosterone which is made by testes and girls estrogen which is made by ovaries. The changes in boys and girls in puberty are different:

CHANGEs IN GIRLS

Changes in boys

Changes in girls

Changes in boys

Changes in puberty

This are the three types of changes that can be.

THINKING ABOUT INTERSEX

What do we feel about intersex.

Thinking about intersex

Sometimes it is difficult to know how do intersex people feel, but we have to make an effort to empathize with them. We have to try to understand what they feel and also their necessities.

• Their feelings: sometimes they feel uncomprended and it is difficult to express what they feel and unconscious by their body.
• Their necessities: what they need is comprehension, peoples empathy, respect and rights.

CONCLUSION

Resume all and mark the main points, giving our opinion.

CONCLUSION

As we know in intersex is a term we use for people who have combination of sex characteristics. Biological sex is a classification based on the reproductive function. Its sex has its own X and Y chromosomes which are packed in our DNA as our genetic information. Also its sex has its reproductive organs which help us carry out the reproductive system. Hormones are very important to regulate and balance the working of organs but in puberty our hormones startle and we have so many different changes in our body to become an adult. But, we have to do conscious to new generations about sex and intersex and we think that it is very important to respect all people without taking into account how do they feel about their sex and their combination of sex characteristics.

THIS IS ALL

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• This inactivated chromosome gets into a small and dense structure in the nucleus, called Barr body are used to determine your sex.
• The X chromosome can have changes in the structure according to the number: trisomy X syndrome (3 chromosomes) or turner syndrome (1 chromosome).

Chromosome facts

This are seven facts for understanding the working of chromosomes.

• Normally, biologically female individuals have two X chromosomes (XX) and the male individuals have one X and one Y chromosome (XY), but there are exceptions.
• The X and Y chromosomes are central for sexual development.
• Female people inherit an X chromosome from their father and another X chromosomes from their mother. Male people always inherit the X chromosome from their mother.
• The X chromosomes are three times larger than the Y chromosomes, the X chromosomes contain 900 genes and Y chromosomes contain 55 genes.
• Females have two chromosomes in all cells, but one of them is inactivated, this makes sure that a transcription isn't make.

How do hormones work?

Hormones travel slowly if we compare them with the transmissions of the nervous system. The hormones travel in the bloodstream until it finds a target cell. There are 2 types of hormones.

• Steroid hormones: They are made of lipids and they are fat soluble. They have an influence in the genes, for example: estrogen, testosterone and cortisol.
• Non-steroid hormones: Made of amino acids and they are not fat soluble. For example: insuline or thyroxine.

Hormone regulation

Hormones are regulated by feedback mechanisms. It produces this feedback for controlling its own production. There are two types of feedback:

• Negative feedback: the hormone feeds back to the crease its own production. This is the most common feedback mechanism.
• Positive feedback: the hormone feeds back to increase its own production.