William J Robertson
The Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies, ed. N. Naples
Publication year: 2016

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is the biomedical name for a group of associated symptoms resulting from a cell’s inability to respond to androgenic hormones. AIS can occur in people with any karyotype, but is only clinically significant in individuals with Y chromosomes. There are three categories of AIS: Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS), Partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (PAIS), and Mild Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (MAIS). People with AIS range from typical female phenotype to typical male phenotype. The incidence of AIS varies depending on population as well as its severity. Clinical diagnosis and management of AIS is dependent upon type of AIS present.