Integration of sperm sexing technology into the ART toolbox.
Abstract: Sex-sorting of mammalian spermatozoa has applications for genetic improvement of farm animals, in humans for the control of sex-linked disease, and in wildlife as a captive management strategy and for the re-population of endangered species. Considerable research has been undertaken worldwide on the Beltsville sperm sexing technology, the only effective method for pre-selection of sex of offspring. The combination of this method with assisted reproductive technologies has resulted in the birth of offspring in a wide range of animals, including cattle, the only livestock species in which sperm sexing is used commercially. Major improvements in the efficiency of sorting, in particular the development of high speed sorting (15 million X and Y spermatozoa per hour) have led to the production of offspring using conventional and low dose AI and the successful cryopreservation of sorted spermatozoa in cattle, sheep, horses and elk. A major limitation remains the short viable lifespan of sorted spermatozoa in the female genital tract, in most species necessitating sperm deposition deep in the uterus, and close to the expected time of ovulation, for acceptable fertility after in vivo insemination. Special deep uterine insemination technology has been employed to produce offspring in pigs and horses using low sperm doses. Considerable attention has been paid to reduction of the damage and capacitation-like changes to spermatozoa that result from flow cytometric sorting and from freezing and thawing. However, high-purity sorting of liquid-stored or frozen-thawed spermatozoa for immediate use, or re-cryopreservation for later use, does not reduce its fertilizing capacity in vitro, allowing its combination with in vitro fertilization or juvenile in vitro embryo transfer to produce blastocysts, and offspring in sheep and cattle after embryo transfer. Further research into sorting and preservation methods that incorporate strategies to prevent destabilization of sperm membranes may improve the fertilizing lifespan of flow cytometrically sorted spermatozoa. With continued improvement in sorting instrumentation and biological handling, sorting efficiency should reach a point where commercially acceptable pregnancy rates may be achieved in a number of species after conventional or deep uterine insemination.
Publication Date: 2004-07-24 PubMed ID: 15271445DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2004.04.013Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
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Summary
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The abstract overviews research into combining sperm sexing technology, specifically the Beltsville sperm sexing technology, with assisted reproductive techniques to select the sex of offspring in many animal species, including cattle, sheep, horses, and elk.
Research scope and application
- The research investigates the application of the Beltsville sperm sexing technology, a technique used for pre-selecting the sex of offspring. The Beltsville method allows the separation of sperm into X and Y categories, facilitating selection based on desired sex results.
- Applications for such technology are widespread. It can be applied for genetic improvement of farm animals, controlling sex-linked diseases in humans, and managing wildlife in captivity as well as aiding in the repopulation of endangered species.
Efficiency and limitations of the technology
- The research also discusses improvements to the efficiency of the sex-sorting method, particularly through the development of high-speed sorting which allows for the sorting of 15 million X and Y spermatozoa per hour. This has enabled the successful cryopreservation (freezing for later use) of sorted sperm in various animals.
- One crucial limitation of this technology is the short viable lifespan of sorted spermatozoa within the female genital tract. In viable insemination, the timing and deep insertion of sperm are critical to achieving acceptable fertility rates. Therefore, special deep uterine insemination technology has been employed to enable the production of offspring using low sperm doses in pigs and horses.
Suggestions for Improvements
- Suggestions to reduce damage and capacitation-like changes to sperm cells during the sorting process and thawing after cryopreservation have been mentioned. High-purity sorting of liquid-stored or frozen-thawed spermatozoa does not reduce its fertilizing capacity, leaving room for it to be combined with in vitro fertilization or juvenile in vitro embryo transfer.
- Further research into sorting and preservation methods that incorporate strategies to prevent destabilization of sperm membranes may improve the fertilizing lifespan of flow cytometrically sorted spermatozoa.
- With ongoing improvements in sorting instrumentation and biological handling, it is suggested that sorting efficiency could reach a level where commercially acceptable pregnancy rates could be achieved across multiple species post-insemination.
Cite This Article
APA
Maxwell WM, Evans G, Hollinshead FK, Bathgate R, De Graaf SP, Eriksson BM, Gillan L, Morton KM, O'Brien JK.
(2004).
Integration of sperm sexing technology into the ART toolbox.
Anim Reprod Sci, 82-83, 79-95.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2004.04.013 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Centre for Advanced Technologies in Animal Genetics and Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. chism@vetsci.usyd.edu.au
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cattle
- Conservation of Natural Resources
- Female
- Fertilization in Vitro / veterinary
- Flow Cytometry
- Horses
- Male
- Pregnancy
- Reproductive Techniques / veterinary
- Semen Preservation
- Sex Determination Analysis / veterinary
- Sheep
- Spermatozoa / physiology
- Swine
References
This article includes 91 references
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Kasimanickam R, Ratzburg K, Madsen K, Keckler R. Improved Pregnancy Outcomes in Beef Heifers Through Delayed Insemination of Sexed Semen. Reprod Domest Anim 2025 Aug;60(8):e70111.
- Sales JNS, Pugliesi G, Carvalho LR, Simões LMS, Lemos LA, Vicente MP, Silva RRR, Baruselli PS. Evolution over the last 40 years of the assisted reproduction technologies in cattle - the Brazilian perspective I - timed artificial insemination. Anim Reprod 2024;21(3):e20240034.
- Fatira E, Havelka M, Saito T, Landeira J, Rodina M, Gela D, Pšenička M. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection in sturgeon species: A promising reproductive technology of selected genitors. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:1054345.
- Neculai-Valeanu AS, Ariton AM. Game-Changing Approaches in Sperm Sex-Sorting: Microfluidics and Nanotechnology. Animals (Basel) 2021 Apr 20;11(4).
- Naniwa Y, Sakamoto Y, Toda S, Uchiyama K. Bovine sperm sex-selection technology in Japan. Reprod Med Biol 2019 Jan;18(1):17-26.
- Ashry M, Lee K, Folger JK, Rajput SK, Smith GW. Follistatin supplementation during in vitro embryo culture improves developmental competence of bovine embryos produced using sex-sorted semen. Reprod Biol 2018 Sep;18(3):267-273.
- Espinosa-Cervantes R, Córdova-Izquierdo A. Sexing sperm of domestic animals. Trop Anim Health Prod 2013 Jan;45(1):1-8.
- Hossain MS, Johannisson A, Wallgren M, Nagy S, Siqueira AP, Rodriguez-Martinez H. Flow cytometry for the assessment of animal sperm integrity and functionality: state of the art. Asian J Androl 2011 May;13(3):406-19.
- Presicce GA, Xu J, Gong G, Moreno JF, Chaubal S, Xue F, Bella A, Senatore EM, Yang X, Tian XC, Du F. Oocyte source and hormonal stimulation for in vitro fertilization using sexed spermatozoa in cattle. Vet Med Int 2010 Sep 5;2011.
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