Abstract
SEPARATION of sperm bearing X and Y chromosomes is limited by, among other difficulties, the inability to distinguish between the two cell types. The two types of sperm can be distinguished only in man because the Y chromosome is highly fluorescent when stained with quinicrine mustard1. Because of the greater length of the X chromosome than the Y chromosome, it is expected that X-bearing sperm will have a greater DNA content. Based on chromosome length measurements2, the difference in DNA content between X-bearing sperm of the mouse (Mus musculus), which carry 19 autosomes plus the X chromosome, and the Y-bearing sperm, which carry the autosomes plus the Y chromosome, is expected to be 3.4%. Distinguishing X and Y sperm on the basis of this difference requires a method of measurement of DNA content with high precision. We have been able to resolve the two classes of spermatids by pulse cytophotometry (that is, flow microfluorometry).
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MEISTRICH, M., GÖHDE, W., WHITE, R. et al. Resolution of X and Y spermatids by pulse cytophotometry. Nature 274, 821–823 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/274821a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/274821a0
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