Suppose that an apparently female athlete fails a gender test and is not allowed to compete in her event. The gender test is based on an examination of cheek cells for the presence of one or more Barr bodies. Later, it is discovered that the athlete has androgen-insensitivity syndrome. Explain why the athlete failed the gender test. What did the technician see in the test and how was it interpreted?

Question

Social Studies

Lamont Ruiz

7 August, 03:50

Suppose that an apparently female athlete fails a gender test and is not allowed to compete in her event. The gender test is based on an examination of cheek cells for the presence of one or more Barr bodies. Later, it is discovered that the athlete has androgen-insensitivity syndrome. Explain why the athlete failed the gender test. What did the technician see in the test and how was it interpreted?

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Savion Bell · Answer 1

She fails the test because the test conducted on her shows she has the XY chromosome which is a sign of maleness. And also the technician recognize the fact that there is no Barr bodies in her cell.

Explanation: the male has two type of chromosome which is the X and Y chromosome while the female has only the X - chromosome. If a geneder test is carried out on a female athlete who carries both X and Y chromosome, it's shows that she is actually male and not female. When the technician looks at the test, a the cell of the female always have Barr bodies which is found in the female nucleus like a dark stain was absent. This made the technician infer that she is a male genetically because only male do not have Barr bodies and XY chromosome.