Method of treating collected mammal semen and separating sperm into X Y components

A method of separating X and Y chromosomes in mammal semen comprising the steps of:

• collecting semen from the mammal;
• adding about 1.0 ml of mammal saliva to about 2.0 ml to about 3.5 ml of mammal semen to prevent coagulation;
• diluting the semen on a 1:1 ratio with a diluting solution;
• maintaining the temperature of the treated and diluted semen at a temperature of about 37.degree. C.;
• adding a cell membrane diffusion material to the semen so that a dye can penetrate the cell membrane of the sperm containing the Y chromosome;
• adding a dye to the semen to cause only the Y chromosome to fluoresce under ultraviolet light;
• irradiating the semen with ultraviolet light;
• moving the semen in a stream through a detection chamber;
• sensing the presence of either a fluorescent Y chromosome or a non-fluorescent X chromosome in the detection chamber;
• providing an output signal in response to the sensed chromosome which varies according to whether the chromosome is fluorescent or non-fluorescent;
• passing the stream from the detection chamber through a fluidic amplifier;
• and
• switching the stream in response to each sensed chromosome to one of two outlet ports so that the fluorescent Y chromosomes are directed through one outlet port and collected and the non-fluorescent X chromosomes are directed through the other outlet port and collected.

A method of separating sperm containing X and Y chromosomes from semen which has been dyed to cause penetration of the dye only into the Y chromosome, comprising the steps of:

• moving the semen in a stream through a detection chamber;
• irradiating the semen with ultraviolet light;
• sensing the presence of either a fluorescent or non-fluorescent chromosome in the stream in the detection chamber;
• providing an output signal in response to the sensed chromosomes which varies according to whether the chromosome is fluorescent or non-fluorescent;
• passing the stream from the detection chamber through a fluidic amplifier;
• and
• switching the stream in response to each sensed chromosome in the detection chamber to direct the sensed chromosome to one of two outlet ports so that the fluorescent Y chromosomes are directed through one outlet port and collected and the non-fluorescent X chromosomes are directed through the other outlet port and collected.