The present invention relates to a method for obtaining a spermatozoid cell population with improved fitness which comprises contacting the starting spermatozoid population with a binding agent recognizing the CD10 biomarker and isolating spermatozoids from the starting population which do not bind to said biomarker. The invention also relates to the spermatozoid cell population, which can be used to fertilize an ovum, and to the embryo obtained. The invention also relates to a method for determining the fitness of sperm for fertilization based on the percentage of the spermatozoid population not carrying the CD/10 biomarker.

Disclosed herein is a low cost and rapid microfluidic based method and test device for quantifying male fertility potential. The device can simultaneously measure three critical semen parameters rapidly, namely live sperm concentration, motile sperm concentration, and sperm motility. The device includes a transparent substrate and a top sheet with two holes therethrough and an intermediate sheet sandwiched between the substrate and the top sheet. The wells formed by holes form a concentration measuring well (C) and a motility well (M) formed by the top sheet with these two holes bonded to the intermediate sheet. A colorimetric agent is located on the top surface of the intermediate sheet at the bottom of each well which changes color when in contact with sperm. In the motility well a porous membrane is located on top of the colorimetric agent and a liquid buffer may be placed on the top surface of the porous membrane. Applying part of a sperm sample to the C well results in direct contact of any live sperm with the colorimetric agent causing a color change, applying part of the sperm sample to the M well results in live sperm with sufficient motility to swim vertically down through the liquid buffer and through the porous membrane to the colorimetric agent. Evaluating the intensities of the color change of the colorimetric agents before and after contact with the sample gives a measure of total concentration of live sperm and motile sperm from which sperm motility is calculated.

Stabilized amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) for treatment of several neurological, muscular and infertility diseases and conditions is provided. In particular, the stabilized ACC may be used in the treatment of axonal defects and muscular dystrophy. In addition, provided are improved methods used in assistant reproductive technology. Examples of such methods are in vitro fertilization and improvement of sperm quality. The improved IVF method, for example, comprises addition of the stabilized ACC to the cell culture medium in which the stages of fertilization and embryo development occurs.

The invention encompasses methods for reducing the proportion of sperm cells with abnormal morphology, and unviable sperm cells, in a sperm cell population.

A method for improving quality of a mammalian semen sample includes providing an insoluble carrier carrying at least one ligand that binds to an indicator of impaired sperm membrane integrity and/or motility, or the insoluble carrier carrying at least one molecule capable of binding to the at least one ligand, and contacting the semen sample and the insoluble carrier to provide a bound sperm cell population and an unbound sperm cell population, The insoluble carrier may be a plurality of beads each carrying the at least one ligand or the at least one molecule. The indicator may be associated with one or both of impaired sperm acrosome and impaired sperm plasma membrane integrity. The ligand may be an antibody. The molecule may be one of streptavidin, protein A, and an anti-ligand antibody. Kits for performing the method are provided.

The invention comprises depletive methods of sex-sorting sperm at high event rates, while simultaneously achieving high technical yields.

Stabilized amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) for treatment of several neurological, muscular and infertility diseases and conditions is provided. In particular, the stabilized ACC may be used in the treatment of axonal defects and muscular dystrophy. In addition, provided are improved methods used in assistant reproductive technology. Examples of such methods are in vitro fertilization and improvement of sperm quality. The improved IVF method, for example, comprises addition of the stabilized ACC to the cell culture medium in which the stages of fertilization and embryo development occurs.

Cell sorting methods that improve sorting efficiency and productivity by elevating sorting pressures and incorporate certain steps to help the cells better survive such elevated pressures. In the case of sperm, sorting the steps of standardizing sperm samples, staining sperm samples in a single step, calibrating a flow cytometer to place sperm in the leading edge of droplets, and changing a catch fluid distance may be incorporated individually, or in combination to help sperm better survive the sex sorting process.

This disclosure relates to methods for sorting sperm cells in a microfluidic chip. In particular, various steps are incorporated to align and orienting sperm in flow channels, as well as, to determining sperm orientation and measure relative DNA content for analysis and/or sorting.

A microfluidic chip for sorting sperm includes a substrate, a sample channel, and a plurality of divergent channels. The sample channel is disposed in the substrate. The divergent channels are disposed in the substrate. Each of the divergent channels includes a main channel and two branch channels. The two branch channels are connected to an end of the main channel away from the sample channel. The two branch channels are disposed at two sides of the main channels respectively. The sample channel and the main channels of the plurality of divergent channels are substantially connected to each other in serial along a direction.