Patent ID: 11899009
Assignee: AREX LIFE SCIENCES, LLC
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  A  C | IPC A  C  G

Claim 0:
1. A method for modifying the maturation state of mammalian sperm for use in an assisted reproductive technology (ART), said method comprising:
providing a mammalian ejaculate, and optionally freezing a portion of the ejaculate;
incubating an aliquot of the mammalian ejaculate under controlled temperature of from room temperature to about 40° C.;
assaying the aliquot of the mammalian ejaculate for a marker indicative of sperm cell maturation during an incubation period to determine sperm maturation state by observing the percent of cells in the aliquot that are positive for the marker indicative of sperm cell maturation, wherein the marker indicative of sperm cell maturation is a lectin;
repeating the assaying step with successive aliquots at intervals during incubation to determine in real-time an initial peak in the percentage of positive cells, a decline to a minima, a subsequent peak, and a subsequent decline in the percentage of positive cells, wherein multiple peaks are indicative of cycling sperm; and
processing remaining sperm from the mammalian ejaculate for assisted reproduction at a time after the percentage of positive cells in the latest aliquot being assayed declines to the first minima from the initial peak or to a second minima from the subsequent peak in the percentage of positive cells, wherein the method effectuates preparation of mature sperm.