Method to prepare sperm
Methods for improving the functionality and/or fertility of sperm, for example, by enhancing motility and/or extending the lifespan of sperm by subjecting the isolated sperm to a starvation protocol and/or ionophore are provided. Such methods may be used in, for example, artificial insemination to reduce the number of sperm needed for insemination and to improve conception rates.
1. A method to increase Artificial Insemination pregnancy rates comprising
a) isolating biological fluid comprising sperm;
b) removing energy nutrients from said biological fluid in a);
c) placing said sperm of a) and/or b) in a media absent energy nutrients including glucose and pyruvate for a period of time sufficient for the sperm to lose progressive motility;
d) adding an energy nutrient to said media and sperm of c), wherein said energy nutrient is a glycolytic substrate or a Krebs cycle substrate or a combination thereof; and
e) using said sperm from c) or d) for intrauterine or vaginal insemination so as to increase Artificial Insemination pregnancy rates as compared to a method where sperm cells have not under gone energy nutrient starvation.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the energy nutrient added to said media in step d) is glucose, fructose, pyruvate, lactate, citrate or a combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sperm is from a vertebrate.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sperm cells are further exposed to an ionophore.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ionophore is a calcium.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step c) glycolytic and Krebs cycle metabolites are not present.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step c) glucose, pyruvate and lactate are not present.