The present application relates to a microfluidic system and its method for use for the separation of motile sperm from immotile sperm or motile bacteria from immotile bacteria. The system includes a housing having a first end, and a second end, with a passage connecting the first and second ends. There is an inlet at the first end of the housing for charging fluids into the passage and an outlet at the second end of said housing for discharging fluids from the passage. There are one or more corrals within the passage, each of the corrals including a closed side and a partially open side. The closed side of the corrals is closer to the first end than the partially open side, with the closed side and partially open side defining between them a confinement region suitable for retaining motile sperm or motile bacteria.

This disclosure provides improved method, kits, and systems and for isolating and enriching spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) from livestock animal testicular tissue. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for enriching SSCs from a population of testis-derived cells containing at least one SSC, where the method comprises contacting the population of testis-derived cells to a culture media comprising, or that is preconditioned with, endothelial feeder cells, and maintaining culture conditions suitable for SSC cell maintenance and enrichment. In some embodiments, the media and culture conditions comprise one or more growth factors selected from GDNF, FGF2, SDF-1a, CSF-1, FDGF, NGF, and TGF-β, in any combination. In exemplary embodiments, the SSCs are porcine or bovine SSCs.

An embryo, gamete or stem cell culture medium comprising: a) acetyl-carnitine at a concentration of about 5 to about 50 μM; and b) lipoic acid or a derivative thereof at a concentration of about 2.5 to about 40 μM. The culture medium may optionally further comprises acetyl-cysteine at a concentration of about 5 to about 50 μM.

System and method includes a body having a central microchannel separated by one or more porous membranes. The membranes are configured to divide the central microchannel into a two or more parallel central microchannels, wherein one or more first fluids are applied through the first central microchannel and one or more second fluids are applied through the second or more central microchannels. The surfaces of each porous membrane can be coated with cell adhesive molecules to support the attachment of cells and promote their organization into tissues on the upper and lower surface of the membrane. The pores may be large enough to only permit exchange of gases and small chemicals, or to permit migration and transchannel passage of large proteins and whole living cells. Fluid pressure, flow and channel geometry also may be varied to apply a desired mechanical force to one or both tissue layers.

The present disclosure relates generally to potassium channel blocker compounds and compositions thereof; and methods for improving reproductive cell viability and quality, during and/or after one or more of staining, freezing, thawing, cell sample enrichment, packaging, or in vitro fertilization using the potassium channel blocker compounds.

This disclosure provides a preserving composition comprising a cholesterol: carrier complex, optionally a cholesterol:cyclodextrin complex (CC complex) and/or a cell permeable antioxidant peptide and a biological buffer and optionally a cryprotectant, wherein the preserving composition is optionally substantially free of animal phospholipid, animal protein and/or animal lipoprotein. The disclosure also provides methods for the use of the preserving composition in cryopreservation of semen or sperm cells. Also provided is a kit comprising the preserving composition having a CC complex, a biological buffer, a cryoprotectant, a carbohydrate, a pH stabilizer, an antibiotic or antibiotic cocktail and/or a cell permeable anti-oxidant peptide.

The invention encompasses a rapid and safe preparation method of sperm nuclei, improved sperm nuclei and a method of using the improved sperm nuclei to calibrate a flow cytometer with higher accuracy.

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.

Methods for improving the functionality and/or fertility of sperm, for example, by enhancing motility and/or extending the lifespan of sperm by subjecting the isolated sperm to a starvation protocol and/or ionophore are provided. Such methods may be used in, for example, artificial insemination to reduce the number of sperm needed for insemination and to improve conception rates.

A buffer for the capacitation of spermatozoa consisting of a buffer solution comprising the active ingredient Astaxanthin, in combination with serum albumin and a phosphate buffer solution made up of monobasic potassium phosphate KH.sub.2PO.sub.4 buffered with dibasic potassium phosphate K.sub.2HPO.sub.4.