Haploid human embryonic stem cells and cell lines, haploid multipotent human cells, and haploid differentiated human cells are provided. In addition, methods of making and using the haploid human cells are provided.

A process to bulk sex-select sperm which can involve such steps as: obtaining a subject sperm sample such as a collection of cells (1); inducing a sex-based differential alteration process for sperm in the sperm sample; presenting associationally active elements near the sperm within at least some of the sperm sample perhaps such as a fluid combination (4); causing such elements to differentially associate with at least portions of the elements based upon a sperm sex-based differential alteration state; acting on the elements together with their associated sperm through a separation modality (5) to bulk separate the sperm according to their differential sex-based properties. One type of associationally active element is potentially magnetic particles or differentially associatable particles (3) which may even be magnetic particles with inherent zeta potential charges that may associationally act and perhaps bind to an opposite zeta potential or other charges that the sperm may differentially acquire or achieve. This may present a method for magnetic separation of X-bearing and Y-bearing sperm perhaps such as having different charged membranes and perhaps such as after sialic acid activation.

An apparatus for sorting cells includes a measurement volume that contains a cell to be measured, a light source that provides light to cause an emission by a fluorescent label attached to the cell, and an optic device that directs the light through the measurement volume. The apparatus flows the cells through the measurement volume such that as the cell flows through the measurement volume, it interacts with the light, resulting in a change in light originating from the measurement volume, the change in light is a fluorescence emission. Another optic device directs a portion of the light originating from the measurement volume to a detector, which detects the portion of the light. A processor operably coupled to the detector generates an estimate of DNA quantity in the cell based on the change in light originating from the measurement volume, and determines a characteristic of the cell from the estimate.

A system and method for sorting sperm is provided. The system includes a housing and a microfluidic system supported by the housing. The system also includes an inlet providing access to the microfluidic system to deliver sperm to the microfluidic system and an outlet providing access to the microfluidic system to harvest sorted sperm from the microfluidic system. The microfluidic system provides a flow path for sperm from the inlet to the outlet and includes at least one channel extending from the inlet to the outlet to allow sperm delivered to the microfluidic system through the inlet to progress along the flow path toward the outlet. The microfluidic system also includes a filter including a first plurality of micropores arranged in the flow path between the inlet and the outlet to cause sperm traveling along the flow path to move against through the filter and gravity to reach the outlet.

A sperm sorting device adapted to collaborate with a temperature controlling component is provided. The sperm sorting device includes an upper portion, a lower portion and a porous layer. The upper portion is formed with an upper chamber. The lower portion is formed with a lower chamber. The upper chamber and the lower chamber are disposed vertically. The temperature controlling component is adapted to be disposed outside the upper portion or the lower portion to make the temperature of the upper chamber higher than the lower chamber. The porous layer is disposed between the upper chamber and the lower chamber. The porous layer is adapted to allow sperms to pass through from the lower chamber to the upper chamber and adapted to form a temperature difference between the upper chamber and the lower chamber. Besides, a temperature difference device adapted for the sperm sorting device is also provided.

A sperm sorting method is provided. The sperm sorting method includes the following steps: providing a porous layer with a first side and a second side opposite to the first side; disposing an unsorted sperm group at the second side; forming a temperature difference between the first side and the second side; and collecting a sorted sperm group which arrives the first side and passes through the porous layer from the second side based on the temperature difference and overcoming gravity.

Disclosed herein are methods for determining the fertility of a sperm sample or a source of a sperm sample; the methods comprising labeling the sperm sample with a zinc probe, identifying presence and/or localization of zinc associated with spermatozoa in the sample and determining the fertility of the sample based on the zinc presence and/or localization in the spermatozoa as compared to a reference pattern associated with non-capacitated spermatozoa or a reference pattern associated with sperm capacitation. Also disclosed are methods of improving sperm fertility and/or decreasing premature capacitation while handling, storing, or transporting semen, the methods comprising adding exogenous zinc to a sperm sample or semen sample. Also disclosed are compositions for improving sperm fertility and/or reducing premature capacitation, the compositions comprising exogenous zinc ions.

Systems for sorting sperm include a housing and a microfluidic system supported by the housing. The systems also include two or more inlets providing access to the microfluidic system to deliver sperm or semen and fluid to the microfluidic system, as well as an outlet for harvesting sorted sperm. The systems include a flow channel that provides a flow path for sperm from an inlet to an outlet while sperm travels against a fluid flow towards an outlet for harvesting. In the systems, fluid delivered to the microfluidic system via an inlet flows from the inlet towards one or more outlets, and the flow channel extending along the length of the microfluidic system provides a flow path for motile sperm to travel against the fluid flow towards a collection outlet for harvesting. In some embodiments of a system, the microfluidic system also includes a microporous filter arranged in the flow path between the inlet and the collection outlet to cause motile sperm traveling against the fluid flow to pass through the filter to reach the collection outlet for harvesting.

A system and method for sorting sperm is provided. The system includes a housing and a microfluidic system supported by the housing. The system also includes an inlet providing access to the microfluidic system to deliver sperm to the microfluidic system and an outlet providing access to the microfluidic system to harvest sorted sperm from the microfluidic system. The microfluidic system provides a flow path for sperm from the inlet to the outlet and includes at least one channel extending from the inlet to the outlet to allow sperm delivered to the microfluidic system through the inlet to progress along the flow path toward the outlet. The microfluidic system also includes a filter including a first plurality of micropores arranged in the flow path between the inlet and the outlet to cause sperm traveling along the flow path to move against through the filter and gravity to reach the outlet.

Method for producing mobility in immobile cells in in vivo or in vitro fertilization. The method includes producing mobility in individual immobile cells that are connected to a microstructure. The microstructure is composed at least partially of magnetic materials and a non-reciprocal movement of the microstructure with the immobile cell is executed by a time-varying, three-dimensional external magnetic field.