Process for the alteration of the sex-ratio of mammals
First Claim
1. In a process for altering the sex ratio of mammals in which process live spermatozoa are treated in order to separate them into two groups each of which comprises a predominance of spermatozoa having only one sex bearing characteristic,the steps of:
- preparing a substantially isotonic solution for diluting and maintaining the life of spermatozoa of a given species,obtaining a sample of live spermatozoa of that species which sample has a substantially normal male-to-female ratio,admixing the sample and the solution and subjecting the sample in said solution to an effective amount of polyelectrostatic charge-bearing material which is, in itself, a nonconductor of electrocity and which provides a multiplicity of electrostatically charged sites predominantly of one electrostatic sign,controlling the solution, with respect to its pH and the ionic environment it provides for the spermatozoa and the materials, substantially to maintain the spermatozoa in an electrostatically charged state in which the spermatozoa of one sex have an effective electrostatic charge opposite to that of the other sex in substantially the same ratio as is found in nature, and to maintain the poly-electrostatic charge-bearing material in a state in which together with ions in the solution it provides a predominance of charged sites of only one electrostatic sign, whereby spermatozoa of one of said groups become attached to said poly-electrostatic charge-bearing material,thereby separating the spermatozoa into a fraction in which the spermatozoa are handicapped in their ability to move freely and into another fraction in which the spermatozoa are freely mobile and more capable to move to the ova, thus enhancing the probability of fertilizing ova with spermatozoa of only one of said groups.
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Abstract
The invention provides an improved method for alteration of the sex ratio in animal (including human) offspring by separation of the population of spermatozoa into fractions which are different by reason of the sex-linked electrical charge resident thereon. The separation is carried out by bringing the spermatozoa into close association with an electrostatic charge-bearing material having a charge the sign of which is opposite to the sign of a chosen portion of the spermatozoa which carries the sex determining character of the unwanted sex, so as to attract and thereby to permit that portion to be isolated, or put to a disadvantage in the fertilization of ova. The invention is concerned with the selection of the charge-bearing material, the adjustment of the pH and particle size thereof, and the control of the surrounding medium in relation to its influence on the charge characteristics of both the charge-bearing material and the spermatozoa.
86 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a process for altering the sex ratio of mammals in which process live spermatozoa are treated in order to separate them into two groups each of which comprises a predominance of spermatozoa having only one sex bearing characteristic,
the steps of: -
preparing a substantially isotonic solution for diluting and maintaining the life of spermatozoa of a given species, obtaining a sample of live spermatozoa of that species which sample has a substantially normal male-to-female ratio, admixing the sample and the solution and subjecting the sample in said solution to an effective amount of polyelectrostatic charge-bearing material which is, in itself, a nonconductor of electrocity and which provides a multiplicity of electrostatically charged sites predominantly of one electrostatic sign, controlling the solution, with respect to its pH and the ionic environment it provides for the spermatozoa and the materials, substantially to maintain the spermatozoa in an electrostatically charged state in which the spermatozoa of one sex have an effective electrostatic charge opposite to that of the other sex in substantially the same ratio as is found in nature, and to maintain the poly-electrostatic charge-bearing material in a state in which together with ions in the solution it provides a predominance of charged sites of only one electrostatic sign, whereby spermatozoa of one of said groups become attached to said poly-electrostatic charge-bearing material, thereby separating the spermatozoa into a fraction in which the spermatozoa are handicapped in their ability to move freely and into another fraction in which the spermatozoa are freely mobile and more capable to move to the ova, thus enhancing the probability of fertilizing ova with spermatozoa of only one of said groups. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19)
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16. A process for identifying the sex bearing characteristic of spermatozoa comprising
the steps of: -
preparing a substantially isotonic solution for diluting and maintaining the life of spermatozoa of a given ratio, obtaining a sample of live spermatozoa of that species which sample has a substantially normal male-to-female ratio, admixing the sample and the solution and subjecting the sample in said solution to a poly-electrostatic charge-bearing material which is, in itself, a non-conductor of electricity and which provides a multiplicity of electrostatically charged sites predominantly of one electrostatic sign, controlling the solution, with respect to its pH and the ionic environment it provides for the spermatozoa and the material, substantially to maintain the spermatozoa in an electrostatically charged state in which the spermatozoa of one sex have a charge opposite to that of the other sex in substantially the same ratio as is found in nature, and to maintain the charge-bearing material in a state in which together with ions in the solution it provides a predominance of charged sites of only one electrostatic sign, whereby spermatozoa of one of said groups become attached to said charge-bearing material, subjecting a sample of the solution containing the spermatozoa to an electric field to which the charge-bearing material responds to a greater degree than do the spermatozoa and the surrounding medium. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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20. A process for identifying the sex bearing characteristic of spermatozoa comprising
the steps of: -
preparing a substantially isotonic solution for diluting and maintaining the life of spermatozoa of a given ratio, obtaining a sample of live spermatozoa of that species which sample has a substantially normal male-to-female ratio, admixing the sample and the solution and subjecting the sample in said solution to a poly-electrostatic charge-bearing material which is, in itself, a non-conductor of electricity and which provides a multiplicity of electrostatically charged sites predominantly of one electrostatic sign, controlling the solution, with respect to its pH and the ionic environment it provides for the spermatozoa and the material, substantially to maintain the spermatozoa in an electrostatically charged state in which the spermatozoa of one sex have a charge opposite to that of the other sex in substantially the same ratio as is found in nature, and to maintain the charge-bearing material in a state in which together with ions in the solution it provides a predominance of charged sites of only one electrostatic sign, whereby spermatozoa of one of said groups become attached to said charge-bearing material, and identifying the spermatozoa to which the polyelectrostatic charge bearing material is attached by applying to said solution an electromagnetic radiation of a wave length which stimulates from said poly-electrostatic charge bearing material an observable response differing from the response thereto of the spermatozoa to which the material is not attached.
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Specification