US 11,946,846 B2
System and method for sperm sorting
Utkan Demirci, Cambridge, MA (US); and Waseem Asghar, Boston, MA (US)
Assigned to THE BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, INC., Boston, MA (US)
Filed by THE BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL, INC., Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 13, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/367,772.
Application 18/367,772 is a continuation of application No. 18/213,715, filed on Jun. 23, 2023.
Application 18/213,715 is a continuation of application No. 17/872,872, filed on Jul. 25, 2022, granted, now 11,788,943.
Application 17/872,872 is a continuation of application No. 17/322,464, filed on May 17, 2021, granted, now 11,709,122, issued on Jul. 25, 2023.
Application 17/322,464 is a continuation of application No. 16/544,762, filed on Aug. 19, 2019, granted, now 11,009,444, issued on May 18, 2021.
Application 16/544,762 is a continuation of application No. 15/037,844, granted, now 10,422,737, issued on Sep. 24, 2019, previously published as PCT/US2014/066405, filed on Nov. 19, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/906,740, filed on Nov. 20, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2023/0417647 A1, Dec. 28, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C12N 5/071 (2010.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); C12N 5/076 (2010.01); G01N 1/40 (2006.01); G01N 15/00 (2006.01); G01N 15/10 (2006.01); C12M 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 15/10 (2013.01) [B01L 3/502753 (2013.01); C12N 5/061 (2013.01); C12N 5/0612 (2013.01); G01N 1/4005 (2013.01); G01N 15/00 (2013.01); C12M 21/06 (2013.01); G01N 2001/4088 (2013.01); G01N 2015/0003 (2013.01); G01N 2015/0065 (2013.01); G01N 2015/1006 (2013.01); G01N 2015/1081 (2013.01); G01N 2800/367 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for sorting sperm, comprising:
delivering a sample of sperm to an inlet of a fluidic system;
allowing some sperm from the sample of sperm to traverse a flow path in a flow-free manner through the fluidic system toward an outlet of a filter chamber of the fluidic system;
filtering the sperm within the filter chamber using a filter and gravity to restrict movement of the sperm through the filter, wherein the filter has micropores sized to permit a head of the sperm in the sample to pass therethrough;
allowing the sperm after passing through the filter and overcoming gravity, to pass in a flow-free manner through the outlet and into an additional collection channel and/or chamber arranged at the outlet such that it is in fluid communication with the filter chamber and such that a percentage of motile sperm that are present at the additional collection channel and/or chamber is greater than a percentage in the sample; and
harvesting sperm in a liquid from the additional collection channel and/or chamber to retrieve the harvested sperm from the fluidic system, wherein the harvested sperm comprise some live, functional sperm from the sample.