Final answer:
Yes, a female with androgen insensitivity can have XY chromosomes, as this condition causes cells to not respond to male hormones, leading to typically female characteristics despite having a male genetic layout.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that a female with androgen insensitivity may have XY sex chromosomes rather than XX. This condition is part of a broader spectrum of disorders known as intersex conditions, where an individual's chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomic sex is atypical. Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is characterized by the presence of male (XY) chromosomes in a person who has external sex characteristics that are typically female. This occurs because the individual's cells do not respond to androgens, which are the hormones responsible for masculinization. As a result, despite having XY chromosomes, the development follows a typically female pathway.
In essence, a person with androgen insensitivity syndrome will have the genetic make-up of a male but will develop female secondary sexual characteristics and will often be raised as a girl. Understanding chromosomal disorders like AIS is important to comprehend the genetic complexity and variance within sexual development.