Re: Genetic Sex change operations?

CurtAdams@aol.com
Sat, 29 May 1999 23:25:29 EDT

In a message dated 5/29/99 20:05:37, umsunley@cc.umanitoba.ca wrote:

>ObExtropianism: If I were to want to move into a female clonde body for
>a couple years (being male) would the genetic engineers (expert
>systems?) have to exercise creativity in the design of the female body
>created from my genome, or is there a one to one correspondance?

It would require little creativity to make a non-fertile "female version" of your genes. Certain genetic pecularities block masculinization during fetal development and produce XY females who are relatively normal except for some reproductive tract defects which are not visible. They are, however, sterile.

Theoretically they could make a female version of you by doubling the X chromosome although we haven't yet shown this works in people. It is possible you'd get problems although unlikely. Fruit fly females homozygous for the X chromosome are pretty normal.

There are some developmental issues with egg vs. sperm source of genes which may or may not need to be resolved.