Sperm Cell Extender Protein Reduction via Centrifugation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sperm cell extenders, particularly those containing glycerol and protein components like egg yolk, face challenges such as toxicity, hyperosmotic effects, and volumetric bulk issues during freezing and centrifugation, leading to sperm cell damage and inefficiencies in preparation and handling.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an egg yolk-containing sperm cell extender is cooled and then mixed with a protein-free cryoprotectant-containing extender, maintaining the mixture in an unclarified state for centrifugation, which reduces protein content and eliminates the need for clarification, thereby minimizing sperm cell compaction and simplifying the preparation process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sperm cell extenders containing protein components like egg yolk are used, then sperm cells receive nutritional support and cryoprotection, but volumetric bulk issues occur during centrifugation leading to sperm cell compaction and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes protein components from the extender formulation, extracting the problematic element (protein) that causes volumetric bulk issues during centrifugation while maintaining the essential functions of sperm cell support and cryoprotection through alternative formulations
Solution Approach 2:
The extender is divided into separate functional components: a protein-free base extender and a cryoprotectant solution, allowing each component to perform its specific function without the interference of protein-related complications during centrifugation and freezing
2Ease of operation
If clarification is performed to remove protein clumps from the extender, then sperm cell compaction is reduced, but the preparation process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates protein components from the extender formulation at the outset, performing the 'clarification' action in advance during formulation rather than requiring a separate clarification step during processing, thereby simplifying the overall preparation process
Solution Approach 2:
By removing protein components entirely from the extender formulation, the patent eliminates the source of clumps that would require clarification, thereby eliminating the need for complex clarification procedures and simplifying the preparation process
3Productivity
If large-scale preparation of the extender is performed, then efficiency in artificial insemination applications is improved, but contamination risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the extender by removing protein components, which alters the physical and biological properties of the solution to reduce its susceptibility to contamination while maintaining its functional properties for sperm cell support
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances sperm cell viability and efficiency by reducing protein-related complications, allowing for large-scale preparation of the extender, minimizing contamination risks, and maintaining effectiveness in artificial insemination applications.
Implementation Method 1
maintaining the mixture in an unclarified state for centrifugation, which reduces protein content
Implementation Method 2
A method involving an egg yolk-containing sperm cell extender is cooled and then mixed with a protein-free cryoprotectant-containing extender
Data Source
AI summary
The inventive technology relates to methods and apparatus for reducing protein content in sperm cell extenders and may include one or more of the following features: techniques for reducing protein content in a sperm cell extender; techniques for reducing protein content in a cryoprotectant-containing B fraction of a sperm cell extender; techniques for preparing sperm cell extenders that do not require clarification; techniques for preparing low density gradient sperm cell extenders suitable for centrifugation; techniques for reducing protein content between individual steps in preparing a sperm cell extender, and techniques for establishing novel values of reduced protein content in sperm cell extenders.