[align=left]Males and females, though verydifferent, have a great deal in common. In the earliest part of ourembryonic development, we all start out much the same. Though the sexof an embryo is determined when sperm meets egg, the genital anatomy ofmales and females cannot be visually distinguished with the use ofultrasound until the 15th week of pregnancy. [/align]
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[align=left]From the beginning, we all have the tissues that laterdevelop into functioning parts, depending on whether we are geneticallycoded to be male or female. (The genetic coding that leads to peoplewho have both male and female anatomical traits is much more complexthan we'll get into here.) [/align]
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[align=left]Males have nipples because they develop with the capacityto be female should their chromosomes dictate. Females call upon thiscapacity when they hit puberty and their breasts develop. Later, ifthey become pregnant, they call upon it again as milk is created intheir breasts. Generally, males do not have a reason for the nipple tofunction, although, from time to time, adolescent and adult malesdevelop a condition called gynecomastia, in which hormonal levels foolthe breasts into beginning to develop. [/align]
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[align=left]But for the most part, nipples are on men's chests not forornamentation, but because we all initially originate from the samekinds of tissues. Males just don't need their breast tissue to be afunctioning part of their anatomy.[/align]