Process and apparatus for sorting spermatozoa
First Claim
1. An apparatus for sorting sperm from a mammalian species into a first fraction enriched in sperm bearing an X chromosome and a second fraction enriched in sperm bearing a Y chromosome, said apparatus comprising a column, a plurality of first beads, and a plurality of second beads, wherein:
- (a) said first beads are tightly packed in a first region of said column;
(b) said second beads are tightly packed in a second region of said column;
(c) said first and second regions are distinct regions within said column, said first and second regions being adjacent to one another;
(d) said second beads are substantially spherical, and are substantially uniform in radius, wherein the second beads have a radius such that a length equal to 0.155 times the second bead radius is intermediate in magnitude between the mean radius of the mammalian species'"'"' sperm containing an X chromosome, and the mean radius of the mammalian species'"'"' sperm containing a Y chromosome; and
(e) said first beads are substantially spherical, and are substantially uniform in radius, wherein the first beads have a radius greater than the second bead radius.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for the mechanical sorting of mammalian spermatozoa by sex-type, into a fraction enriched in X-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa, and a fraction enriched in Y-chromosome-bearing spermatozoa. Because of their different DNA content, Y-chromosome spermatozoa are slightly smaller than X-chromosome spermatozoa. A column is packed with two sizes of beads. The size of the smaller beads is chosen such that, on average, Y-chromosome spermatozoa will readily fit into the interstices between the smaller beads, while X-chromosome spermatozoa, on average, will not readily fit into those interstices. The size of the larger beads is chosen such that the smaller beads will not readily fit into the interstices between the larger beads. A liquid sample containing the sperm is run through a column so that the liquid first encounters the larger beads, and then encounters the smaller beads. The beads act as a sieve, creating a fraction in the larger beads enriched in X-chromosome spermatozoa, and a fraction in the smaller beads enriched in Y-chromosome spermatozoa.
74 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. An apparatus for sorting sperm from a mammalian species into a first fraction enriched in sperm bearing an X chromosome and a second fraction enriched in sperm bearing a Y chromosome, said apparatus comprising a column, a plurality of first beads, and a plurality of second beads, wherein:
-
(a) said first beads are tightly packed in a first region of said column; (b) said second beads are tightly packed in a second region of said column; (c) said first and second regions are distinct regions within said column, said first and second regions being adjacent to one another; (d) said second beads are substantially spherical, and are substantially uniform in radius, wherein the second beads have a radius such that a length equal to 0.155 times the second bead radius is intermediate in magnitude between the mean radius of the mammalian species'"'"' sperm containing an X chromosome, and the mean radius of the mammalian species'"'"' sperm containing a Y chromosome; and (e) said first beads are substantially spherical, and are substantially uniform in radius, wherein the first beads have a radius greater than the second bead radius. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
-
6. A method for sorting sperm from a mammalian species into a first fraction enriched in sperm bearing an X chromosome and a second fraction enriched in sperm bearing a Y chromosome, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) placing a liquid containing the sperm into a first region of a sorting apparatus comprising a column, a plurality of first beads, and a plurality of second beads, wherein; (i) said first beads are tightly packed in a first region of said column; (i) said second beads are tightly packed in a second region of said column; (iii) said first and second regions are distinct regions within said column, said first and second regions being adjacent to one another; (iv) said second beads are substantially spherical, and are substantially uniform in radius, wherein the second beads have a radius such that a length equal to 0.155 times the second bead radius is intermediate in magnitude between the mean radius of the mammalian species'"'"' sperm containing an X chromosome, and the mean radius of the mammalian species'"'"' sperm containing a Y chromosome; and (v) said first beads are substantially spherical, and are substantially uniform in radius, wherein the first bead radius is greater than the second bead radius; and (b) causing the liquid to flow in a direction from the first region through the second region, until that fraction of the liquid within said first beads is enriched in sperm bearing an X chromosome and that fraction of the liquid within said second beads is enriched in sperm bearing a Y chromosome. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification