# MPEP § 2403.01: Material Capable of Self- Replication

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2403.01

## Section

- **Citation:** MPEP § 2403.01
- **Heading:** Material Capable of Self- Replication
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO MPEP / Chapter 2400 - Biotechnology / MPEP § 2403.01

## Text

Biological material includes material that is capable of
self-replication either directly or indirectly. Direct self-replication includes those
situations where the biological material reproduces by itself. Representative examples
of materials capable of self-replication are defined in the rule. Indirect
self-replication is meant to include those situations where the biological material is
only capable of replication when another self-replicating biological material is
present. Self-replication after insertion in a host is one example of indirect
self-replication. Examples of indirect replicating biological materials include viruses,
phages, plasmids, symbionts, and replication defective cells. The list of representative
examples of each type of replicating material includes viruses to demonstrate that the
two lists in the rule are not intended to be mutually exclusive.

## Nearby sections

- [MPEP § 2401 Introduction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2401.md)
- [MPEP § 2402 The Deposit Rules](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2402.md)
- [MPEP § 2403 Deposit of Biological Material](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2403.md)
- [MPEP § 2403.01 Material Capable of Self- Replication](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2403.01.md)
- [MPEP § 2403.02 Plant Material](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2403.02.md)
- [MPEP § 2404 Need or Opportunity to Make a Deposit](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2404.md)
- [MPEP § 2404.01 Biological Material That Is Known and Readily Available to the Public](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2404.01.md)
- [MPEP § 2404.02 Biological Material That Can Be Made or Isolated Without Undue Experimentation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2404.02.md)
- [MPEP § 2404.03 Reference to a Deposit in the Specification](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2404.03.md)
- [MPEP § 2405 Acceptable Depository](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2405.md)
- [MPEP § 2406 Time of Making an Original Deposit](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2406.md)
- [MPEP § 2406.01 Description in Application Specification](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2406.01.md)
- [MPEP § 2406.02 Deposit After Filing Date - Corroboration](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2406.02.md)
- [MPEP § 2406.03 Possible Loss of U.S. Filing Date in Other Countries](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2406.03.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/MPEP_S2403.01. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.