EDUCATIONAL AND METHODOLOGICAL FUNDAMENTALS OF TEACHING ISSUES OF GENDER DIFFERENTIATION IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF MORPHOLOGY AT MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Introduction. The main problem in teaching the processes of gender differentiation during practical classes is that all biochemical and genetically determined processes of gender differentiation are insufficiently covered or detached from the accompanying morphological transformations. Often, educational programs consist only of topics that highlight the morphological processes of the development of a certain sex, avoiding the main questions - the biochemical causes of morphological transformations.The purpose of the research is to find out the current state of studying the problem of teaching the topic "Gender differentiation" at the medical and biological faculties of higher educational institutions of Ukraine and highlight our own experience in teaching the topic "Sex differentiation" at Bukovinian State Medical University.Material and methods. Educational and methodological practice is based on researched 19 sources of foreign scientific literature from the electronic database "PubMed". The methods of comparative content analysis and information-analytical analysis were used.Research results and their discussion. Sex differentiation in humans and other animals is associated with many biochemical processes that occur at the level of genes and proteins. Here are some biochemical aspects of sex differentiation: Hormones are key factors that influence sex differentiation. In boys, the gonads produce testosterone, and in girls, estrogen. These hormones promote the development of various organs and systems, including the reproductive system. Genetic mechanisms: every organism has two sex chromosomes – X and Y. Males have XY, and females have XX. Genes on these chromosomes affect the development of various aspects of sexual differentiation. Proteins produced by genes play an important role in sex differentiation. For example, the SRY protein is responsible for the development of the testicles in boys, while the FOXL2 protein is responsible for the development of the ovaries in girls.Conclusion. The morphological processes that accompany sex differentiation are certainly only a reflection of the complex biochemical transformations that ensure this process. In our opinion, the study of morphological transformations will not have an effect if we consider them without reference to biochemical and genetic processes at the molecular level.