Editing Woman (section)

=== Genetic characteristics ===
{{Main|Sexual differentiation in humans}}
[[Image:Sky spectral karyotype.png|upright|thumb|[[Spectral karyotype]] of a human female|alt=A multi-colored sphere, and a set of chromosomes listed in a data table]]
Typically, the cells of female humans contain two X chromosomes, while the cells of male humans have an X and a Y chromosome.<ref name=Hake>{{cite journal |last1=Hake |first1=Laura |last2=O'Connor |first2=Clare |title=Genetic Mechanisms of Sex Determination |journal=Nature Education |volume=1 |issue=1 |date=2008 |page=25 |url=https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetic-mechanisms-of-sex-determination-314/ }}</ref> During [[Human fertilization|early fetal development]], all embryos have phenotypically female genitalia up until week 6 or 7, when a male embryo's gonads differentiate into testes due to the action of the [[SRY gene|''SRY'' gene]] on the Y chromosome.<ref name="Pardue-2001" /> [[Sex differentiation]] proceeds in female humans in a way that is independent of gonadal hormones.<ref name="Pardue-2001">{{cite book |author=Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Understanding the Biology of Sex and Gender Differences |last2=Wizemann |first2=Theresa M. |last3=Pardue |first3=Mary-Lou |title=Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health |chapter=Sex Begins in the Womb |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK222286/ |publisher=National Academies Press (US) |language=en |date= 2001 |isbn=978-0-309-07281-6 |doi=10.17226/10028 |pmid=25057540 |quote=All human individuals{{snd}}whether they have an XX, an XY, or an atypical sex chromosome combination{{snd}}begin development from the same starting point. During early development the gonads of the fetus remain undifferentiated; that is, all fetal genitalia are the same and are phenotypically female. After approximately 6 to 7 weeks of gestation, however, the expression of a gene on the Y chromosome induces changes that result in the development of the testes.}}</ref> Because humans inherit [[mitochondrial DNA]] only from the mother's ovum, [[Genetic genealogy|genealogical]] researchers can trace [[Matrilineality|maternal lineage]] far back in time.