Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1965, Page 86

94
True Hermaphroditism
to form the uterus, the cervix, and the uppermost part of the
vagina. The Wolffian duct in the male becomes the epididymis,
the vasa deferentia, and the vesiculae seminales. In either sex
the duct which is not developed will degenerate, although
rudiments of these structures will be found in the adult indi-
vidual. In the female the non-developed and degenerated
Wolffian duct forms the epoophoron, the paroophoron and
Gartner’s ducts. In the male the appendix testis and the utri-
culus prostaticus are renmants of the Miillerian duct3.
During the first weeks the development of the external
genitalia is determined by the hormone production of the
gonad, and the urogenital sinus and the genital tubercle deve-
lop into the external genitalia in either sex. At later stages,
however, this development depends very much on a normal
balance between the production of hormones by the pituitary
gland, the adrenals and the gonad. It is well-known that cer-
tain steroids exert an androgenic influence. They stimulate the
male development of the external genitalia, and such influence
may produce female pseudohermaphroditism in female indi-
viduals during the development, the external genitalia exhi-
biting a more or less pronounced masculine appearance in spite
of the presence of a female gonad. This condition may be
seen in a female embryo in case of an abnormally increased
production of adreno-cortical hormones, in connexion with
certain hormone-producing tumours in pregnant women, and
if the mother has been treated with certain types of hormones
during pregnancy4.
By foetal castration experiments in mammals5, it has been
proved that female internal and external genitalia will deve-
lop when the gonad is removed. Hence, the presence of ovarian
tissue is not necessary for the development of female genitalia,
whereas it has been shown that the presence of a male gonad
is necessary for the differentiation of the male genitalia during
foetal life. Thus, castration of a female embryo does not inter-
fere with the formation of the female genitalia and male
embryos develop into females when castrated at an early