Failure to separate human x- and y-chromosome bearing spermatozoa by Sephadex gel-filtration.

Human spermatozoa has been filtered on Sephadex gel columns (G 50 fine powder). 50--70% of the spermatozoa put on the gel bed had been recovered within the filtrate, the remaining spermatozoa--not absorbed to gel particles--were found in the upper third of the column. The percentage of motile spermatozoa was higher (80--95%) in the first fraction as compared to the control samples (40--65%). This technique seems to be unsuitable for a successful separation of human x- and y-spermatozoa, an enrichment of x-spermatozoa couldn't be obtained within the first fractions of the filtrate.