Back to results
US 11,448,644 B2Granted
Compositions and methods for the detection of zinc
AssigneeNorthwestern University
InventorsTeresa K. Woodruff, Thomas V. O'Halloran, Alison M. Kim, Emily Que, Betty Kong, Miranda Bernhardt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates generally to compositions and methods for the detection of zinc. In particular, compositions and methods are provided to detect changes in cellular zinc concentration and to correlate them to cellular phenomena.
Claims3
A method of non-invasively detecting Zn release by one or more oocytes as an indication of fertilization comprising:
- a) contacting a sample comprising one or more oocytes with a Zn-responsive probe, wherein said one or more oocytes are metaphase-II-arrested oocytes;
- b) contacting said sample with sperm;
- c) detecting the signal emitted by the Zn-responsive probe over time, wherein said detecting the signal comprises detecting a significant increase in extracellular Zn concentration based on a change in said signal of said Zn-responsive probe;
- d) correlating said significant increase in extracellular Zn concentration to fertilization of at least one of said oocytes by said sperm to generate a fertilized oocyte;
- and
- e) removing said fertilized oocyte from said Zn-responsive probe.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.