Which area of a fetus will develop into the testes or ovaries?

The area of a fetus that will develop into the testes or ovaries is called the gonadal ridge, which forms during the early stages of embryonic development. In males, the presence of the Y chromosome and the SRY gene triggers the gonadal ridge to differentiate into testes. In females, in the absence of the Y chromosome, the gonadal ridge develops into ovaries. This differentiation typically occurs around the 7th to 8th week of gestation.