A SEXUAL development disorder in baby boys may be due to the absence of a hormone-production pathway identified in wallabies. The finding could help diagnose cases of ambiguous genitalia. One in 4500 babies has gene mutations that disrupt normal development of testes or ovaries in the womb. These children can be born with external genitalia that do not look typically female or male. In humans, normal development of the testes relies on two male hormones - testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The latter is the more potent, and is produced when testosterone is broken down.
