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cytoarchitecture

n. the arrangement of cells in organs and tissues, particularly those in the neocortex. The different types of cortical cells are organized in cortical layers and zones. The number of layers varies in different brain areas, but a typical section of neocortex shows six distinct layers. Differences in cytoarchitecture have been used to divide the neocortex into 50 or more regions, many of which differ in function. The scientific study of the cytoarchitecture of an organ is called cytoarchitectonics. Also called architectonic structure. See also Brodmann’s area. —cytoarchitectural adj.

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Psychology term of the day

December 7th 2024

sex differentiation

sex differentiation

the process of acquiring distinctive sexual features during the course of development. Human sexual differentiation is determined genetically at the time of fertilization, primarily by the presence or absence of a Y chromosome. Fertilized eggs containing a Y chromosome develop as male embryos, whereas ones lacking a Y chromosome develop as females. This is due to the presence on the Y chromosome of a particular gene, called SRY (sex reversal on Y). It encodes a testis-determining factor that, via a cascade of signals, triggers the development of testes and other male reproductive organs. In the absence of this gene, the embryo develops along the default pathway, with ovaries and other female organs.