Sperm cell processing and preservation systems

• US 20040055030A1
• Filed: 01/09/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XY, LLC (Inguran LLC)
• Original Assignee: XY Incorporated (Inguran LLC)
• Inventors: OʼBrien, Justine Kellie, Evans, Gareth, Hollinshead, Fiona Kate, Maxwell, William Maxwell Chisholm
• Granted Patent: US 7,169,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 800/21
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2227/101 Bovine
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 2227/103 Ovine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/43 for artificial insemination
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/873 Techniques for producing new embryos, e.g. nuclear transfer, manipulation of totipotent cells or production of chimeric embryos
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8771 Bovine embryos
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 15/8773 Ovine embryos
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 2517/10 Conditioning of cells for in vitro fecondation or nuclear transfer
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/0604 Whole embryos; Culture medium therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 5/061 Sperm cells, spermatogonia

Abstract

Semen and sperm cell processing and preservation systems, and methods of producing a mammal and methods of producing mammalian embryos are disclosed. The present invention is directed to sperm cell preservation, fertilization, and insemination, maintaining or enhancing sperm quality and addressing one or more sperm cell characteristics, such as viability, motility, functionality, fertilization rates, and pregnancy rates. Further, sperm cell characteristics may be addressed within the context of various collection, handling, separation, storage, transportation, usage, fertilization, or insemination techniques.

Claims

1. A method of producing a mammal, comprising the steps of:

obtaining sperm cells;

cryopreserving said sperm cells;

thawing said sperm cells;

sorting said sperm cells;

cryopreserving said sorted sperm cells;

thawing said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells;

inseminating at least one egg with said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells;

fertilizing said at least one egg; and

producing a mammal from said at least one fertilized egg.

2. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 1 wherein said step of sorting comprises selecting said sperm cells based upon at least one desired sperm cell characteristic.

3. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 2 wherein said step of selecting comprises staining said sperm cells based upon at least one desired sperm cell characteristic.

4. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 3 wherein said step of selecting further comprises differentiating said sperm cells based upon said at least one desired sperm cell characteristic.

5. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 4 wherein said step of differentiating comprises differentiating said sperm cells as either an X chromosome bearing sperm cell or a Y chromosome bearing sperm cell.

6. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 4 wherein said step of selecting further comprises separating said sperm cells having said at least one desired sperm cell characteristic.

7. A method of producing a mammal as described in claims 4 or 6 further comprising the step of collecting said sperm cells.

8. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 1 wherein said step of sorting comprises flow cytometer sorting.

9. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of establishing a sperm sample from said sorted sperm cells, wherein said second step of cryopreserving comprises cryopreserving said sperm sample and wherein said step of inseminating comprises inseminating at least one egg with said sperm sample.

10. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 9 wherein said step of establishing a sperm sample comprises establishing a plurality of sperm samples and wherein said second step of cryopreserving comprises cryopreserving said plurality of samples.

11. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of establishing a sperm sample from said sorted cryopreserved thawed sperm cells and wherein said step of inseminating comprises inseminating at least one egg with said sperm sample.

12. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 11 wherein said step of establishing a sperm sample comprises establishing a plurality of sperm samples.

13. A sperm sample established in accordance with the method of claims 930, 1031, 11 or 12.

14. A sperm sample as described in claim 13 wherein said sperm sample comprises a straw.

15. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 1 wherein said step of obtaining comprises obtaining semen having a concentration of sperm cells, wherein said first step of cryopreserving comprises cryopreserving said semen, and wherein said first step of thawing comprises thawing said cryopreserved semen.

16. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 1 wherein said step of obtaining comprises obtaining sperm cells from zoological specimens.

17. A mammal produced from the sorted cryopreserved sperm cells of claim 1.

18. A mammal produced from the sorted cryopreserved sperm cells of claim 15.

19. A mammal produced from the sperm sample of claim 13.

20. A mammal produced from the sperm sample of claim 14.

21. A mammal as described in claims 17, 18, 19, or 20, wherein said mammal comprises a mammal selected from the group consisting of equids, bovids, felids, ovids, canids, buffalo, oxen, elk, and porcine.

22. A mammal as described in claims 17, 18, 19, or 20, wherein said mammal comprises a mammal selected from the group consisting of prized mammal species, endangered mammal species, and rare individuals of a mammal species.

24. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of maintaining sperm quality of said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells.

25. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 24 wherein said step of maintaining sperm quality comprises enhancing motility of said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells.

26. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 25 wherein said step of enhancing motility comprises enhancing motility to at least about 83.4 percent motile sperm of said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells.

27. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of enhancing fertilization rates with said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells.

28. A method of producing a mammal as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of enhancing insemination rates with said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells.

23. A mammal produced from a sperm sample established in accordance with the method of claims 930, 1031, 1141, or 1242.

29. A method of sperm cell processing, comprising the steps of:

obtaining sperm cells;

cryopreserving said sperm cells;

thawing said sperm cells;

processing said sperm cells; and

cryopreserving said sorted sperm cells.

30. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 29 wherein said step of processing comprises sorting said sperm cells.

31. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 30 wherein said step of sorting comprises selecting said sperm cells based upon at least one desired sperm cell characteristic.

32. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 31 wherein said step of selecting comprises staining said sperm cells based upon at least one desired sperm cell characteristic.

33. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 32 wherein said step of selecting further comprises differentiating said sperm cells based upon said at least one desired sperm cell characteristic.

34. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 33 wherein said step of differentiating comprises differentiating said sperm cells as either an X chromosome bearing sperm cell or a Y chromosome bearing sperm cell.

35. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 33 wherein said step of selecting further comprises separating said sperm cells having said at least one desired sperm cell characteristic.

36. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claims 33 or 35 further comprising the step of collecting said sperm cells.

37. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 30 wherein said step of sorting comprises flow cytometer sorting.

38. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 29 further comprising the step of establishing a sperm sample from said processed sperm cells and wherein said second step of cryopreserving comprises cryopreserving said sperm sample.

39. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 38 wherein said step of establishing a sperm sample comprises establishing a plurality of sperm samples and wherein said second step of cryopreserving comprises cryopreserving said plurality of samples.

40. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 29 further comprising the step of thawing said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells.

41. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 40 further comprising the step of establishing a sperm sample from said processed cryopreserved thawed sperm cells.

42. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claims 40 or 41 wherein said step of establishing a sperm sample comprises establishing a plurality of sperm samples.

43. A sperm sample established in accordance with the method of claims 3830, 3931, 41 or 42.

44. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 43 wherein said sperm sample comprises a straw.

45. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 29 wherein said step of obtaining comprises obtaining semen having a concentration of sperm cells, wherein said step of cryopreserving comprises cryopreserving said semen, and wherein said step of thawing comprises thawing said cryopreserved semen.

46. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 29 wherein said step of obtaining comprises obtaining sperm cells from zoological specimens.

47. A mammal produced from the processed cryopreserved sperm cells of claim 29.

48. A mammal produced from the processed cryopreserved sperm cells of claim 45.

49. A mammal produced from the sperm sample of claim 43.

50. A mammal produced from the sperm sample of claim 44.

51. A mammal as described in claims 47, 48, 49, or 50, wherein said mammal comprises a mammal selected from the group consisting of equids, bovids, felids, ovids, canids, buffalo, oxen, elk, and porcine.

52. A mammal as described in claims 47, 48, 49, or 50, wherein said mammal comprises a mammal selected from the group consisting of prized mammal species, endangered mammal species, and rare individuals of a mammal species.

53. A mammal produced from a sperm sample established in accordance with the method of claims 38, 39, 41, or 42.

54. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 29 further comprising the step of maintaining sperm quality of said processed cryopreserved sperm cells.

55. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 54 wherein said step of maintaining sperm quality comprises enhancing motility of said processed cryopreserved sperm cells.

56. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 55 wherein said step of enhancing motility comprises enhancing motility to at least about 83.4 percent motile sperm of said processed cryopreserved sperm cells.

57. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 29 further comprising the step of enhancing fertilization rates with said processed cryopreserved sperm cells.

58. A method of sperm cell processing as described in claim 29 further comprising the step of enhancing insemination rates with said processed cryopreserved sperm cells.

59. A method of producing a mammal, comprising the steps of:

obtaining sperm cells;

cryopreserving said sperm cells;

thawing said sperm cells;

sorting said sperm cells;

cryopreserving said sorted sperm cells;

thawing said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells;

inseminating a female of said species of said mammal with said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells;

fertilizing at least one egg with said female; and

producing a mammal from said at least one fertilized egg.

60. A method of producing a mammalian embryo, comprising the steps of:

obtaining sperm cells;

cryopreserving said sperm cells;

thawing said sperm cells;

sorting said sperm cells;

cryopreserving said sorted sperm cells;

thawing said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells;

inseminating at least one egg with said sorted cryopreserved sperm cells;

fertilizing said at least one egg; and

producing a mammalian embryo from said at least one fertilized egg.