SEX-ASSOCIATED MEMBRANE PROTEINS AND METHODS FOR INCREASING THE PROBABILITY THAT OFFSPRING WILL BE OF A DESIRED SEX

摘要

A method of sorting living cells based onDNA content. Mammalian sperm subpopulations enrichedin X- or Y-sperm. X- and Y-enriched sperm-plasma-membrane vesicles. Substantially pure sex-associatedmembrane (SAM) proteins. Antibodies'binding to X-or Y-SAM proteins, essentially free of antibodiesbinding to Y- or X-SAM proteins respectively, or tothe H-Y antigen. Semen samples enriched for X- orY-sperm. Methods for increasing the probabilitythat offspring will be male or female comprisingthe step of allowing a sperm from an enriched semensample to fertilize an ovum. Methods for increasingthe probability that offspring will be male orfemale comprising the step of immunizing a femalewith X- or Y-SAM proteins. Methods of decreasingfertility comprising the step of immunizing afemale with both X- and Y-sperm. Methods of increas-ing the probability that mammalian offspring willcarry a gene for a particular sex-chromosome linkedtrait.