TY - JOUR
T1 - Mammalian Sperm Motility: Observation and Theory
AU - Gaffney, E.A.
AU - Gadêlha, H.
AU - Smith, D.J.
AU - Blake, J.R.
AU - Kirkman-Brown, J.C.
N1 - KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01
Acknowledged KAUST grant number(s): KUK-C1-013-04
Acknowledgements: EAG: This publication is based on work supported in part by Award KUK-C1-013-04, made byKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). H.G. acknowledges the CAPESFoundation for sponsorship under contract grant BEX-4676/06-8. D.J.S. acknowledges the MRCfor support under Special Training Fellowship G0600178; J.C.K.-B. and D.J.S. acknowledgesupport from Birmingham Science City, and previous support from the Wellcome Trust. Theauthors thank Dr. Nik Kapur of the University of Leeds for assistance with rheology and theReproductive Biology and Genetics Group, University of Birmingham, for valuable comments.
This publication acknowledges KAUST support, but has no KAUST affiliated authors.
PY - 2011/1/21
Y1 - 2011/1/21
N2 - Mammalian spermatozoa motility is a subject of growing importance because of rising human infertility and the possibility of improving animal breeding. We highlight opportunities for fluid and continuum dynamics to provide novel insights concerning the mechanics of these specialized cells, especially during their remarkable journey to the egg. The biological structure of the motile sperm appendage, the flagellum, is described and placed in the context of the mechanics underlying the migration of mammalian sperm through the numerous environments of the female reproductive tract. This process demands certain specific changes to flagellar movement and motility for which further mechanical insight would be valuable, although this requires improved modeling capabilities, particularly to increase our understanding of sperm progression in vivo. We summarize current theoretical studies, highlighting the synergistic combination of imaging and theory in exploring sperm motility, and discuss the challenges for future observational and theoretical studies in understanding the underlying mechanics. © 2011 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.
AB - Mammalian spermatozoa motility is a subject of growing importance because of rising human infertility and the possibility of improving animal breeding. We highlight opportunities for fluid and continuum dynamics to provide novel insights concerning the mechanics of these specialized cells, especially during their remarkable journey to the egg. The biological structure of the motile sperm appendage, the flagellum, is described and placed in the context of the mechanics underlying the migration of mammalian sperm through the numerous environments of the female reproductive tract. This process demands certain specific changes to flagellar movement and motility for which further mechanical insight would be valuable, although this requires improved modeling capabilities, particularly to increase our understanding of sperm progression in vivo. We summarize current theoretical studies, highlighting the synergistic combination of imaging and theory in exploring sperm motility, and discuss the challenges for future observational and theoretical studies in understanding the underlying mechanics. © 2011 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10754/598754
UR - http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-fluid-121108-145442
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79951990947&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1146/annurev-fluid-121108-145442
DO - 10.1146/annurev-fluid-121108-145442
M3 - Article
SN - 0066-4189
VL - 43
SP - 501
EP - 528
JO - Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics
JF - Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics
IS - 1
ER -