The present invention relates to an in vitro method for determining or diagnosing infertility of a male subject comprising the steps of (a) contacting a sperm sample obtained from said subject with a calcium-free test solution, (b) detecting the motility of the sperm in said sample under the test condition of step (a), and (c) determining infertility of the male subject based on the motility detected in step (b). Further, the present invention relates to a kit for use in a method for determining or diagnosing infertility of a male subject comprising (a) a calcium-free test solution, and (b) a calcium-containing control solution.

The present invention provides a method of diagnosing endometriosis and/or infertility in a subject, comprising: a) obtaining a sample from the subject; b) detecting a level of expression of a SIRT1 gene and/or protein in the sample; c) detecting a level of expression of a BCL6 gene and/or protein in the sample; d) comparing the level of expression detected in (b) with the level of expression of a SIRT1 gene and/or protein in a sample obtained from a control subject or a population of control subjects; e) comparing the level of expression detected in (c) with the level of expression of a BCL6 gene and/or protein in a sample obtained from a control subject or a population of control subjects; and f) diagnosing the subject as having infertility when the subject has a level of expression of the SIRT1 gene and/or protein greater than the level of expression of the SIRT1 gene and/or protein of the control subject or population of control subjects and also has a level of expression of the BCL6 gene and/or protein that is greater than the level of expression of the BCL6 gene and/or protein of the control subject or population of control subjects.

The present invention relates to a method for determining a likely effect of a treatment to improve male fertility using an antagonist or inhibitor of RANKL based on levels of AMH or Inhibin B in a biological sample such as serum or seminal fluid.

This disclosure provides a method for determining male fertility status. The method comprises determining G.sub.M1 distribution patterns following induced sperm capacitation, identifying the frequency of distribution of various patterns, and determining if the frequency distribution of certain G.sub.M1 patterns in response to induced capacitation is altered. Based on the change in the frequency distribution patterns of certain patterns in response to induced capacitation, alone or in combination with other sperm attributes, male fertility status can be identified.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing anti-mammalian AMH antibodies comprising the steps of: (i) immunizing an animal with an AMH polypeptide or a polynucleotide encoding this AMH polypeptide, said AMH polypeptide comprising at least the 99 amino acids of sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or of a sequence having at least 75% identity with the sequence SEQ ID No. 1, and at most the 560 amino acids of sequence SEQ ID No. 2 or of a sequence having at least 75% identity with the sequence SEQ ID No. 2, (ii) preparing hybridomas from cells of a lymphoid organ of the animal having received the immunogen, (iii) selecting hybridomas secreting antibodies recognizing an AMH polypeptide comprising at least the 99 amino acids of sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or of a sequence having at least 75% identity with the sequence SEQ ID No. 1, and at most the 255 amino acids of sequence SEQ ID No. 8 or of a sequence having at least 75% identity with the sequence SEQ ID No. 8, but recognizing neither (a) an AMH polypeptide comprising at least the 131 amino acids of sequence SEQ ID No. 13 or of a sequence having at least 75% identity with the sequence SEQ ID No. 13 and at most the 156 amino acids of sequence SEQ ID No. 11 or of a sequence having at least 75% identity with the sequence SEQ ID No. 11, nor (b) any linear epitope located in the sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or a sequence having at least 75% identity with the sequence SEQ ID No. 1, and (iv) producing the antibodies. The invention also relates to the antibodies and antibody fragments and the use of same for assaying AMH, in particular in fertility.

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 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.

The present invention provides a method for determining endometrial receptivity and an application thereof. Specifically, the present invention provides a method for determining endometrial receptivity and markers for determining an endometrial receptivity status. The markers of the present invention could greatly reduce the error rate during the determination of the endometrial receptivity.

The present invention relates to a method for determining the fertility of spermatozoa, said method comprising determining the total content of Vimentin variant 3 (Vim3) per spermatozoon and/or the spatial localization of the Vim3 in the spermatozoa, wherein a decreased amount of total content and/or decreased amount of (or even missing) accumulation of Vim3 in the mid piece of the spermatozoa indicates decreased fertility. Further, the present invention refers to a dipstick usable for this method. Moreover, the present invention relates to further methods and uses in the context of the present invention.

The present invention is directed to methods for fertility prediction in animals, and in particular dairy cows. The methods allow detection of the likelihood of conception upon insemination of a cow based on the analysis of properties of milk of the cow, and in particular the mid-infrared (MIR) spectrum of the milk. Such methods also enable selection of cows for insemination and fertility classification of cows. Software and systems for carrying out the methods of the invention are also provided. The present invention also provides methods for deriving reference MIR spectra representative cows with good or poor likelihoods of conception upon insemination. These reference MIR spectra can be used for fertility prediction in cows to be tested.