Klinefelter's syndrome is a genetic endocrine disorder that causes significant femaleness in men. It affects about one in five hundred to one in one thousand live born males. Klinefelter's Syndrome is characterized by a lack of normal sexual development, infertility, and psychological adjustment problems. In their chromosome difference an extra "X" chromosome is present in the sex chromosome or the twenty-third chromosome. Klinefelter's Syndrome is also known as "XXY Syndrome." Klinefelter's Syndrome was named after H.F. Klinefelter. He studied Klinefelter's patients at Harvard. .
Klinefelter's syndrome is caused by an extra X chromosome and affects only males. During Meiosis the 46 chromosomes separate producing two new cells with 23 chromosomes each. Before meiosis is completed the chromosomes pair with their corresponding chromosomes and exchange information. In some cases, the Xs or the X chromosome and Y chromosome fail to pair and fail to exchange genetic material. Sometimes this results in them moving alone to the same cell, producing either an egg with two Xs, or a sperm having both an X and a Y chromosome. When a sperm having both an X and a Y chromosome fertilizes an egg having a single X chromosome, or a normal Y- bearing sperm fertilizes an egg having two X chromosomes, an XXY male is conceived.
The symptoms for Klinefelter's syndrome include abnormal breast development, incomplete masculine build, breast development, incomplete maleness, school or social difficulties, unfertile or reduced fertility, small male organs, diminished auxiliary, pubic, and facial hair, enlarged breast tissue called gynecomastia, tall stature, abnormal body proportions such as long legs, short trunk, learning disabilities, a single crease in the palm and social and/or school learning difficulties. Klinefelter's Syndrome usually remains unnoticed until puberty. During puberty breast tissue develops and continues to grow, often leading to surgical removal of breast tissue.
