It is usually composed only of Sertoli cells. Ovarian tissue, on the other hand, has nearly normal cell composition and development. Evidence of this in hermaphrodites is breast development, cyclic menses, and ovulation. Malignant tumors have been found to occur often in hermaphrodites, arising from either the testes or ovary. Also, there is a rare recurrence of hermaphroditism within a family.
Patients are of normal intelligence with no somatic cell deviations.
The probable cause for hermaphroditism is believed to be chimerism. We are only concerned with whole body chimerism. A chimeric individual is one who has at least two different genotypes which each arose from an individual zygote and eventually fuse. Fertilization and fusion of two ova in a single binucleated follicle 2. Fertilization and fusion of an ovum and its polar body 3.