Phytoestrogens display estrogen-like activity because of their structural similarity to human estrogens and exhibit high affinity binding for the estrogen receptors (ERs). The prevalence of phytoestrogens in our diets and the biological effects that they
The sex ratio (F:M) in the same population of oyster, Crassostrea gigas at the commencement of the study (2007) was 1:1.0, but changed to 1:2.8 by the end of the study (2008). The sex reversal rate in two-year-old oysters was 40.2%. Specifically, female to male sex reversal rate was 66.1%, which is higher than the male to female sex reversal rate of 21.1%. The sex reversal pattern of C. gigas appears to go from male female male, and as such is determined to be rhythmical hermaphroditism.