Genetic heterogeneity in true hermaphrodites. A report of two cases.

True hermaphrodites are identified from the presence of ambiguous genitalia with both ovarian and testicular tissue. Two cases presented below had a 46,XX chromosome pattern, cryptorchidism and undescended testes. Both cases showed an absence of secondary sexual characteristics and presence of bilateral breasts and a uterus. The gonads in case 1 were an ovotestis and testis (left side) and in case 2 were an ovary and testis (right side). Case 1 was analyzed for a sex-determining region on the Y chromosome (SRY) and was negative. Phenotypic, gonadal and molecular studies suggest that 46,XX true hermaphroditism is a genetically heterogeneous condition.