1
|
Park YJ, Pang WK, Pang MG. Integration of omics studies indicates that species-dependent molecular mechanisms govern male fertility. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2023; 14:28. [PMID: 36859388 PMCID: PMC9979430 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-023-00836-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Comparative and comprehensive omics studies have recently been conducted to provide a comprehensive understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying infertility. However, because these huge omics datasets often contain irrelevant information, editing strategies for summarizing and filtering the data are necessary prerequisite steps for identifying biomarkers of male fertility. Here, we attempted to integrate omics data from spermatozoa with normal and below-normal fertility from boars and bulls, including transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data. Pathway enrichment analysis was conducted and visualized using g:Profiler, Cytoscape, EnrichmentMap, and AutoAnnotation to determine fertility-related biological functions according to species. RESULTS In particular, gamete production and protein biogenesis-associated pathways were enriched in bull spermatozoa with below-normal fertility, whereas mitochondrial-associated metabolic pathways were enriched in boar spermatozoa with normal fertility. These results indicate that below-normal fertility may be determined by aberrant regulation of protein synthesis during spermatogenesis, and the modulation of reactive oxygen species generation to maintain capacitation and the acrosome reaction governs boar sperm fertility. CONCLUSION Overall, this approach demonstrated that distinct molecular pathways drive sperm fertility in mammals in a species-dependent manner. Moreover, we anticipate that searching for species-specific signaling pathways may aid in the discovery of fertility-related biomarkers within large omics datasets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoo-Jin Park
- grid.254224.70000 0001 0789 9563Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546 Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Ki Pang
- grid.254224.70000 0001 0789 9563Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546 Republic of Korea
| | - Myung-Geol Pang
- Department of Animal Science & Technology and BET Research Institute, Chung-Ang University, Anseong, Gyeonggi-do, 17546, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yu SX, Liu Y, Wu Y, Luo H, Huang R, Wang YJ, Wang X, Gao H, Shi H, Jing G, Liu YJ. Cervix chip mimicking cervical microenvironment for quantifying sperm locomotion. Biosens Bioelectron 2022; 204:114040. [PMID: 35151944 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.114040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
As the gate for sperm swimming into the female reproductive tract, cervix is full of cervical mucus, which plays an important role in sperm locomotion. The fact that sperm cannot pass through the cervical mucus-cervix microenvironment will cause the male infertility. However, how the sperm swim across the cervix microenvironment remains elusive. We used hyaluronic acid (HA), a substitute of cervical mucus to mimic cervix microenvironment and designed a cervix chip to study sperm selection and behavior. An accumulation of sperm in HA confirmed that HA served as a reservoir for sperm, similar to cervical mucus. We found that sperm escaping from HA exhibited higher motility than the sperm accessing into HA, suggesting that HA functions as a filter to select sperm with high activity. Our findings construct a practical platform to explore the sophisticated interaction of sperm with cervix microenvironment, with elaborate swimming indicators thus provide a promising cervix chip for sperm selection with kinematic features on-demand. What's more, the cervix chip allows the convenient use in clinical infertility diagnosis, owing to the advantage of simple, fast and high efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sai-Xi Yu
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Yanan Liu
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Photon Technology in Western China Energy, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hao Luo
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Photon Technology in Western China Energy, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China
| | - Rufei Huang
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research), Hospital of SIPPR, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Ya-Jun Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Xuemei Wang
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Hai Gao
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Huijuan Shi
- NHC Key Lab. of Reproduction Regulation (Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| | - Guangyin Jing
- School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Photon Technology in Western China Energy, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710069, China.
| | - Yan-Jun Liu
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, International Co-laboratory of Medical Epigenetics and Metabolism (Ministry of Science and Technology), Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ahmadkhani N, Hosseini M, Saadatmand M, Abbaspourrad A. The influence of the female reproductive tract and sperm features on the design of microfluidic sperm-sorting devices. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022; 39:19-36. [PMID: 35034216 PMCID: PMC8866594 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-021-02377-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although medical advancements have successfully helped a lot of couples with their infertility by assisted reproductive technologies (ART), sperm selection, a crucial stage in ART, has remained challenging. Therefore, we aimed to investigate novel sperm separation methods, specifically microfluidic systems, as they do sperm selection based on sperm and/or the female reproductive tract (FRT) features without inflicting any damage to the selected sperm during the process. In this review, after an exhaustive studying of FRT features, which can implement by microfluidics devices, the focus was centered on sperm selection and investigation devices. During this study, we tried not to only point to the deficiencies of these systems, but to put forth suggestions for their improvement as well.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nima Ahmadkhani
- grid.412553.40000 0001 0740 9747Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahshid Hosseini
- grid.412553.40000 0001 0740 9747Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Saadatmand
- grid.412553.40000 0001 0740 9747Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Abbaspourrad
- grid.5386.8000000041936877XDepartment of Food Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sperm Accumulation Induced by the Female Reproductive Fluid: Putative Evidence of Chemoattraction Using a New Tool. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092472. [PMID: 34572122 PMCID: PMC8467055 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is considerable evidence that female reproductive fluid (FRF) interacts intimately with sperm, affecting several sperm traits, including sperm motility and longevity, and ultimately fertilization success. One of the first documented interactions between FRF and sperm is the ability of FRF to attract and guide sperm towards the eggs. However, most of the evidence of FRF’s chemoattraction proprieties comes from a limited number of taxa, specifically mammals and invertebrate broadcasting spawners. In other species, small FRF volumes and/or short sperm longevity often impose methodological difficulties resulting in this gap in chemoattraction studies in non-model species. One of the outcomes of sperm chemotaxis is sperm accumulation towards high chemoattractant concentrations, which can be easily quantified by measuring sperm concentration. Here, we tested sperm accumulation towards FRF in the zebrafish, Danio rerio, using an ad hoc developed, 3D printed, device (‘sperm selection chamber’). This easy-to-use tool allows to select and collect the sperm that swim towards a chemical gradient, and accumulate in a chemoattractant-filled well thus providing putative evidence for chemoattraction. We found that sperm accumulate in FRF in zebrafish. We also found that none of the sperm quality traits we measured (sperm swimming velocity and trajectory, sperm motility, and longevity) were correlated with this response. Together with the 3D printable project, we provide a detailed protocol for using the selection chamber. The chamber is optimized for the zebrafish, but it can be easily adapted for other species. Our device lays the foundation for a standardized way to measure sperm accumulation and in general chemoattraction, stimulating future research aimed at understanding the role and the mechanisms of sperm chemoattraction by FRF.
Collapse
|
5
|
Does the Rainbow Trout Ovarian Fluid Promote the Spermatozoon on Its Way to the Egg? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179519. [PMID: 34502430 PMCID: PMC8430650 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The fertilization of freshwater fish occurs in an environment that may negatively affect the gametes; therefore, the specific mechanisms triggering the encounters of gametes would be highly expedient. The egg and ovarian fluid are likely the major sources of these triggers, which we confirmed here for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The ovarian fluid affected significantly spermatozoa performance: it supported high velocity for a longer period and changed the motility pattern from tumbling in water to straightforward moving in the ovarian fluid. Rainbow trout ovarian fluid induced a trapping chemotaxis-like effect on activated male gametes, and this effect depended on the properties of the activating medium. The interaction of the spermatozoa with the attracting agents was accompanied by the "turn-and-run" behavior involving asymmetric flagellar beating and Ca2+ concentration bursts in the bent flagellum segment, which are characteristic of the chemotactic response. Ovarian fluid created the optimal environment for rainbow trout spermatozoa performance, and the individual peculiarities of the egg (ovarian fluid)-sperm interaction reflect the specific features of the spawning process in this species.
Collapse
|
6
|
Mata-Martínez E, Sánchez-Cárdenas C, Chávez JC, Guerrero A, Treviño CL, Corkidi G, Montoya F, Hernandez-Herrera P, Buffone MG, Balestrini PA, Darszon A. Role of calcium oscillations in sperm physiology. Biosystems 2021; 209:104524. [PMID: 34453988 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2021.104524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular Ca2+ is a key regulator of cell signaling and sperm are not the exception. Cells often use cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) oscillations as a means to decodify external and internal information. [Ca2+]i oscillations faster than those usually found in other cells and correlated with flagellar beat were the first to be described in sperm in 1993 by Susan Suarez, in the boar. More than 20 years passed before similar [Ca2+]i oscillations were documented in human sperm, simultaneously examining their flagellar beat in three dimensions by Corkidi et al. 2017. On the other hand, 10 years after the discovery of the fast boar [Ca2+]i oscillations, slower ones triggered by compounds from the egg external envelope were found to regulate cell motility and chemotaxis in sperm from marine organisms. Today it is known that sperm display fast and slow spontaneous and agonist triggered [Ca2+]i oscillations. In mammalian sperm these Ca2+ transients may act like a multifaceted tool that regulates fundamental functions such as motility and acrosome reaction. This review covers the main sperm species and experimental conditions where [Ca2+]i oscillations have been described and discusses what is known about the transporters involved, their regulation and the physiological purpose of these oscillations. There is a lot to be learned regarding the origin, regulation and physiological relevance of these Ca2+ oscillations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Esperanza Mata-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Fusión de Membranas y Exocitosis Acrosomal, Instituto de Histología y Embriología Dr. Mario H. Burgos (IHEM) Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, CONICET, Mendoza, Argentina.
| | - Claudia Sánchez-Cárdenas
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Julio C Chávez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Adán Guerrero
- Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Claudia L Treviño
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| | - Gabriel Corkidi
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Fernando Montoya
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Paul Hernandez-Herrera
- Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, IBT, UNAM, Mexico.
| | - Mariano G Buffone
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Paula A Balestrini
- Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología (IBT), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kholodnyy V, Dzyuba B, Gadêlha H, Cosson J, Boryshpolets S. Egg-sperm interaction in sturgeon: role of ovarian fluid. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2021; 47:653-669. [PMID: 32803545 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-020-00852-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Fertilization of freshwater fish occurs in the environment which negatively affects a lifespan of gametes mostly due to the osmotic shock; therefore, male gametes should reach the female gamete, as soon as possible. The existence of mechanisms controlling the encounter of gametes would be highly expedient in this case. By analogy with other species for which guidance was demonstrated, it is likely that this control may be performed by ovarian fluid or substances released by eggs. The aim was to study the effect of ovarian fluid and egg-released substances on spermatozoa behavior in sterlet. It was found that the presence of a particular concentration of ovarian fluid (30% solution in water) had an inhibiting effect on spermatozoa motility initiation. Lower concentrations of the ovarian fluid improved the longevity of spermatozoa and did not affect their trajectories. Test of chemotactic response (using a microcapillary injection of fluids into the suspension of motile spermatozoa) showed no effect of ovarian fluid on spermatozoa behavior, while at the same time, the attracting effect of the egg-conditioned medium was evident (i.e., due to some substances released from the eggs during their contact with freshwater). The results of the fertilization test showed that the presence of ovarian fluid prevented the eggs from losing the fertilizing ability due to the contact with water, as well as promoted the spermatozoa to fertilize the eggs during a longer period of time. Thus, the combined physicochemical action of "female factors" affects sterlet gametes during fertilization and may be involved in the guidance and selection mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vitaliy Kholodnyy
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic.
| | - Borys Dzyuba
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Hermes Gadêlha
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1UB, UK
| | - Jacky Cosson
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Sergii Boryshpolets
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lange S, Friedrich BM. Sperm chemotaxis in marine species is optimal at physiological flow rates according theory of filament surfing. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1008826. [PMID: 33844682 PMCID: PMC8041200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm of marine invertebrates have to find eggs cells in the ocean. Turbulent flows mix sperm and egg cells up to the millimeter scale; below this, active swimming and chemotaxis become important. Previous work addressed either turbulent mixing or chemotaxis in still water. Here, we present a general theory of sperm chemotaxis inside the smallest eddies of turbulent flow, where signaling molecules released by egg cells are spread into thin concentration filaments. Sperm cells ‘surf’ along these filaments towards the egg. External flows make filaments longer, but also thinner. These opposing effects set an optimal flow strength. The optimum predicted by our theory matches flow measurements in shallow coastal waters. Our theory quantitatively agrees with two previous fertilization experiments in Taylor-Couette chambers and provides a mechanistic understanding of these early experiments. ‘Surfing along concentration filaments’ could be a paradigm for navigation in complex environments in the presence of turbulent flow. Many motile cells navigate in complex environments along concentration gradients of signaling molecules. This chemotaxis has been studied extensively both experimentally and theoretically, yet mostly for idealized conditions of perfect chemical gradients. But under physiological conditions, concentration fields are subject to distortions, e.g., by turbulent flows in the ocean. Pioneering experiments suggest that in species with external fertilization, chemotaxis of sperm cells towards the egg may even work better at an optimal flow strength compared to conditions of still water. Yet to date, the mechanistic cause for this optimum is not known. We present a general theory of chemotactic navigation in external flow. We characterize how external flow distorts concentration fields into long filaments, and show how chemotaxing cells can subsequently ‘surf’ along these filaments towards a chemoattractant source. Stronger flows make concentration filaments longer, but also thinner; together, these two counter-acting effects set an optimal flow strength. Beyond fertilization of marine invertebrates, we believe that ‘surfing along concentration filaments’ could be a more general paradigm, relevant also for the ecology of marine bacteria feeding on organic marine snow in the ocean, or chemotaxis inside multi-cellular organisms with internal flows.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Lange
- HTW Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, TU Dresden, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Benjamin M. Friedrich
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden, TU Dresden, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life, TU Dresden, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ali MA, Wang Y, Qin Z, Yuan X, Zhang Y, Zeng C. Odorant and Taste Receptors in Sperm Chemotaxis and Cryopreservation: Roles and Implications in Sperm Capacitation, Motility and Fertility. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12040488. [PMID: 33801624 PMCID: PMC8065900 DOI: 10.3390/genes12040488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm chemotaxis, which guide sperm toward oocyte, is tightly associated with sperm capacitation, motility, and fertility. However, the molecular mechanism of sperm chemotaxis is not known. Reproductive odorant and taste receptors, belong to G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) super-family, cause an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration which is pre-requisite for sperm capacitation and acrosomal reaction, and result in sperm hyperpolarization and increase motility through activation of Ca2+-dependent Cl¯ channels. Recently, odorant receptors (ORs) in olfactory transduction pathway were thought to be associated with post-thaw sperm motility, freeze tolerance or freezability and cryo-capacitation-like change during cryopreservation. Investigation of the roles of odorant and taste receptors (TRs) is important for our understanding of the freeze tolerance or freezability mechanism and improve the motility and fertility of post-thaw sperm. Here, we reviewed the roles, mode of action, impact of odorant and taste receptors on sperm chemotaxis and post-thaw sperm quality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Malik Ahsan Ali
- College of Animal Science and Technology and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; (Y.W.); (Z.Q.); (X.Y.); (Y.Z.)
- Department of Theriogenology, Riphah College of Veterinary Sciences, Lahore 54000, Punjab, Pakistan;
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38000, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Yihan Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; (Y.W.); (Z.Q.); (X.Y.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Ziyue Qin
- College of Animal Science and Technology and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; (Y.W.); (Z.Q.); (X.Y.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Xiang Yuan
- College of Animal Science and Technology and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; (Y.W.); (Z.Q.); (X.Y.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yan Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; (Y.W.); (Z.Q.); (X.Y.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Changjun Zeng
- College of Animal Science and Technology and Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China; (Y.W.); (Z.Q.); (X.Y.); (Y.Z.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +86-28-86291010
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Elad D, Jaffa AJ, Grisaru D. Biomechanics of Early Life in the Female Reproductive Tract. Physiology (Bethesda) 2021; 35:134-143. [PMID: 32027564 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00028.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Early human life that starts at the onset of fertilization and ends with implantation of the embryo in the uterine wall is the foundation for a successful pregnancy. The different stages during this period require biomechanical mechanisms, which are mostly unknown due to difficulties to conduct in vivo studies in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Elad
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - Ariel J Jaffa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Dan Grisaru
- Gynecological Oncology Unit, Lis Maternity Hospital, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel.,Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ramírez-Gómez HV, Jimenez Sabinina V, Velázquez Pérez M, Beltran C, Carneiro J, Wood CD, Tuval I, Darszon A, Guerrero A. Sperm chemotaxis is driven by the slope of the chemoattractant concentration field. eLife 2020; 9:50532. [PMID: 32149603 PMCID: PMC7093112 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Spermatozoa of marine invertebrates are attracted to their conspecific female gamete by diffusive molecules, called chemoattractants, released from the egg investments in a process known as chemotaxis. The information from the egg chemoattractant concentration field is decoded into intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) changes that regulate the internal motors that shape the flagellum as it beats. By studying sea urchin species-specific differences in sperm chemoattractant-receptor characteristics we show that receptor density constrains the steepness of the chemoattractant concentration gradient detectable by spermatozoa. Through analyzing different chemoattractant gradient forms, we demonstrate for the first time that Strongylocentrotus purpuratus sperm are chemotactic and this response is consistent with frequency entrainment of two coupled physiological oscillators: i) the stimulus function and ii) the [Ca2+]i changes. We demonstrate that the slope of the chemoattractant gradients provides the coupling force between both oscillators, arising as a fundamental requirement for sperm chemotaxis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Héctor Vicente Ramírez-Gómez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Vilma Jimenez Sabinina
- Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martín Velázquez Pérez
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Carmen Beltran
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Jorge Carneiro
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC), Rua da Quinta Grande, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Christopher D Wood
- Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Idan Tuval
- Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Esporles, Spain.,Department of Physics, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Adán Guerrero
- Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuernavaca, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hamzeh H, Alvarez L, Strünker T, Kierzek M, Brenker C, Deal PE, Miller EW, Seifert R, Kaupp UB. Kinetic and photonic techniques to study chemotactic signaling in sea urchin sperm. Methods Cell Biol 2019; 151:487-517. [PMID: 30948028 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Sperm from sea urchins are attracted by chemical cues released by the egg-a mechanism called chemotaxis. We describe here the signaling pathway and molecular components endowing sperm with single-molecule sensitivity. Chemotactic signaling and behavioral responses occur on a timescale of a few milliseconds to seconds. We describe the techniques and chemical tools used to resolve the signaling events in time. The techniques include rapid-mixing devices, rapid stroboscopic microscopy, and photolysis of caged second messengers and chemoattractants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Hamzeh
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Bonn, Germany
| | - Luis Alvarez
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Bonn, Germany
| | - Timo Strünker
- Center of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Michelina Kierzek
- Center of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Christoph Brenker
- Center of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Parker E Deal
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Evan W Miller
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States; Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Reinhard Seifert
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Bonn, Germany
| | - U Benjamin Kaupp
- Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Bonn, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Romero-Aguirregomezcorta J, Sugrue E, Martínez-Fresneda L, Newport D, Fair S. Hyperactivated stallion spermatozoa fail to exhibit a rheotaxis-like behaviour, unlike other species. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16897. [PMID: 30442996 PMCID: PMC6237856 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34973-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The journey of spermatozoa through the female genital tract is facilitated by rheotaxis, or the cell's preference to swim against a flow, as well as thigmotaxis, the wall tracking behaviour, which guides them to the site of fertilisation. The aim of this study was to characterise the rheotactic and thigmotactic response of stallion sperm within a microfluidic channel. Stallion sperm rheotaxis was assessed within the microfluidic channel with regard to: (i) A range of flow velocities, (ii) Varying media viscosity and (iii) Sperm hyperactivation. Sperm distribution across the microfluidic channel was also studied and compared to human and ram sperm. Stallion sperm progressed furthest at a velocity range of 10-30 µm/s, with an optimum velocity of 20 µm/s. A flow viscosity of 2.5cP or greater reduced sperm rheotaxis (P < 0.05). Stallion sperm that were hyperactivated were unable to exhibit rheotaxis within the microfluidic channel, whereas, both hyperactivated human and ram sperm did exhibit positive rheotaxis under the same conditions. The number of sperm swimming near the microfluidic channel walls was higher than in the microfluidic channel centre (P < 0.05). This is the first study to illustrate that stallion sperm are rheotactically responsive and increasing viscosity reduces this response. We also demonstrated that sperm are predominantly inclined to swim along a surface and uniquely, hyperactivated stallion sperm are non-progressive and do not exhibit a rheotactic response unlike other species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jon Romero-Aguirregomezcorta
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Emer Sugrue
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Lucía Martínez-Fresneda
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - David Newport
- Bernal Institute, School of Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Sean Fair
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Iida T, Iwata Y, Mohri T, Baba SA, Hirohashi N. A coordinated sequence of distinct flagellar waveforms enables a sharp flagellar turn mediated by squid sperm pH-taxis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12938. [PMID: 29021593 PMCID: PMC5636881 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13406-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal spermatozoa navigate by sensing ambient chemicals to reach the site of fertilization. Generally, such chemicals derive from the female reproductive organs or cells. Exceptionally, squid spermatozoa mutually release and perceive carbon dioxide to form clusters after ejaculation. We previously identified the pH-taxis by which each spermatozoon can execute a sharp turn, but how flagellar dynamics enable this movement remains unknown. Here, we show that initiation of the turn motion requires a swim down a steep proton gradient (a theoretical estimation of ≥0.025 pH/s), crossing a threshold pH value of ~5.5. Time-resolved kinematic analysis revealed that the turn sequence results from the rhythmic exercise of two flagellar motions: a stereotypical flagellar ‘bent-cane’ shape followed by asymmetric wave propagation, which enables a sharp turn in the realm of low Reynolds numbers. This turning episode is terminated by an ‘overshoot’ trajectory that differs from either straight-line motility or turning. As with bidirectional pH-taxes in some bacteria, squid spermatozoa also showed repulsion from strong acid conditions with similar flagellar kinematics as in positive pH-taxis. These findings indicate that squid spermatozoa might have a unique reorientation mechanism, which could be dissimilar to that of classical egg-guided sperm chemotaxis in other marine invertebrates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiro Iida
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Education and Research Center for Biological Resources, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima-cho, Oki, Shimane, 685-0024, Japan
| | - Yoko Iwata
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Tatsuma Mohri
- Section of Individual Researches, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho Okazaki, 444-8787, Japan
| | - Shoji A Baba
- Ochanomizu University, 2-2-1 Otsuka, Tokyo, 112-8610, Japan
| | - Noritaka Hirohashi
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Education and Research Center for Biological Resources, Shimane University, 194 Kamo, Okinoshima-cho, Oki, Shimane, 685-0024, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Yanagimachi R, Harumi T, Matsubara H, Yan W, Yuan S, Hirohashi N, Iida T, Yamaha E, Arai K, Matsubara T, Andoh T, Vines C, Cherr GN. Chemical and physical guidance of fish spermatozoa into the egg through the micropyle†,‡. Biol Reprod 2017; 96:780-799. [PMID: 28371886 PMCID: PMC6355103 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Eggs of teleost fish, unlike those of many other animals, allow sperm entry only at a single site, a narrow canal in the egg's chorion called the micropyle. In some fish (e.g., flounder, herring, and Alaska pollock), the micropyle is a narrow channel in the chorion, with or without a shallow depression around the outer opening of micropyle. In some other fish (e.g., salmon, pufferfish, cod, and medaka), the micropyle is like a funnel with a conical opening. Eggs of all the above fish have a glycoprotein tightly bound to the chorion surface around the micropyle. This glycoprotein directs spermatozoa into the micropylar canal in a Ca2+-dependent manner. This substance, called the micropylar sperm attractant or MISA, increases fertilization efficiency and is essential in herring. In flounder, salmon, and perhaps medaka, fertilization is possible without MISA, but its absence makes fertilization inefficient because most spermatozoa swim over the micropyle without entering it. The mechanism underlying sperm-MISA interactions is yet to be determined, but at least in herring the involvement of Ca2+ and K+ channel proteins, as well as CatSper and adenylyl cyclase, is very likely. In some other fish (e.g., zebrafish, loach, and goldfish), the chorion around the micropyle is deeply indented (e.g., zebrafish and loach) or it has radially or spirally arranged grooves around the outer opening of the micropyle (e.g., goldfish). MISA is absent from the eggs of these fish and sperm entry into micropylar canal seems to be purely physical.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryuzo Yanagimachi
- Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, Institute for Biogenesis
Research, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii,
USA
| | - Tatsuo Harumi
- Department of Anatomy, Asahikawa Medical University, Asahikawa, Hokkaido,
Japan
| | - Hajime Matsubara
- Department of Aquatic Biology, Tokyo University of Agriculture, Abashiri,
Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Wei Yan
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of
Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Shuiqiao Yuan
- Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, University of Nevada School of
Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Noritaka Hirohashi
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Shimane University, Okino-shima, Shimane,
Japan
| | - Tomohiro Iida
- Oki Marine Biological Station, Shimane University, Okino-shima, Shimane,
Japan
| | - Etsuro Yamaha
- Nanae Fresh-water Laboratory, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere,
Hokkaido University, Nanae, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Katsutoshi Arai
- Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Hokkaido,
Japan
| | - Takahiro Matsubara
- South Ehime Fishery Research Center, Ehime University, Ainan, Ehime,
Japan
| | - Tadashi Andoh
- Seikai National Fisheries Research Institute, Japan Fisheries Research and
Education Agency, Taira-machi, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Carol Vines
- Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California Davis, Bodega Bay,
California, USA
| | - Gary N. Cherr
- Bodega Marine Laboratory, University of California Davis, Bodega Bay,
California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Okamoto DK. Competition among Eggs Shifts to Cooperation along a Sperm Supply Gradient in an External Fertilizer. Am Nat 2016; 187:E129-42. [DOI: 10.1086/685813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
17
|
Linck RW, Chemes H, Albertini DF. The axoneme: the propulsive engine of spermatozoa and cilia and associated ciliopathies leading to infertility. J Assist Reprod Genet 2016; 33:141-56. [PMID: 26825807 PMCID: PMC4759005 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-016-0652-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2015] [Accepted: 01/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Richard W Linck
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
| | - Hector Chemes
- Center for Research in Endocrinology, National Research Council, CEDIE-CONICET, Endocrinology Division, Buenos Aires Children's Hospital, Gallo 1330, C1425SEFD, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - David F Albertini
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA. .,The Center for Human Reproduction, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Generation of Gradients on a Microfluidic Device: Toward a High-Throughput Investigation of Spermatozoa Chemotaxis. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142555. [PMID: 26555941 PMCID: PMC4640579 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Various research tools have been used for in vitro detection of sperm chemotaxis. However, they are typically poor in maintenance of gradient stability, not to mention their low efficiency. Microfluidic device offers a new experimental platform for better control over chemical concentration gradient than traditional ones. In the present study, an easy-handle diffusion-based microfluidic chip was established. This device allowed for conduction of three parallel experiments on the same chip, and improved the performance of sperm chemotaxis research. In such a chip, there were six channels surrounding a hexagonal pool. The channels are connected to the hexagon by microchannels. Firstly, the fluid flow in the system was characterized; secondly, fluorescein solution was used to calibrate gradient profiles formed in the central hexagon; thirdly, sperm behavior was observed under two concentration gradients of progesterone (100 pM and 1 mM, respectively) as a validation of the device. Significant differences in chemotactic parameters were recognized between experimental and control groups (p < 0.05). Compared with control group, sperm motility was greatly enhanced in 1 mM group (p < 0.05), but no significant difference was found in 100 pM group. In conclusion, we proposed a microfluidic device for the study of sperm chemotaxis that was capable of generating multi-channel gradients on a chip and would help reduce experimental errors and save time in experiment.
Collapse
|
19
|
Jikeli JF, Alvarez L, Friedrich BM, Wilson LG, Pascal R, Colin R, Pichlo M, Rennhack A, Brenker C, Kaupp UB. Sperm navigation along helical paths in 3D chemoattractant landscapes. Nat Commun 2015; 6:7985. [PMID: 26278469 PMCID: PMC4557273 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm require a sense of direction to locate the egg for fertilization. They follow gradients of chemical and physical cues provided by the egg or the oviduct. However, the principles underlying three-dimensional (3D) navigation in chemical landscapes are unknown. Here using holographic microscopy and optochemical techniques, we track sea urchin sperm navigating in 3D chemoattractant gradients. Sperm sense gradients on two timescales, which produces two different steering responses. A periodic component, resulting from the helical swimming, gradually aligns the helix towards the gradient. When incremental path corrections fail and sperm get off course, a sharp turning manoeuvre puts sperm back on track. Turning results from an ‘off' Ca2+ response signifying a chemoattractant stimulation decrease and, thereby, a drop in cyclic GMP concentration and membrane voltage. These findings highlight the computational sophistication by which sperm sample gradients for deterministic klinotaxis. We provide a conceptual and technical framework for studying microswimmers in 3D chemical landscapes. Sperm use external cues to find the egg using ill-defined principles. Here the authors use holographic microscopy and optochemical tools to study sperm swimming in light-sculpted chemical 3D landscapes; they show that sperm translate the temporal stimulation pattern into multiple swimming behaviours to orient deterministically in a gradient.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan F Jikeli
- Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Luis Alvarez
- Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Benjamin M Friedrich
- Biological Physics, Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzer Straße 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Laurence G Wilson
- Department of Physics, University of York, YO10 5DD Heslington, York, UK
| | - René Pascal
- Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Remy Colin
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Straße 16, 35043 Marburg, Germany
| | - Magdalena Pichlo
- Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Andreas Rennhack
- Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Christoph Brenker
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University of Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - U Benjamin Kaupp
- Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Jagadeeshan S, Coppard SE, Lessios HA. Evolution of gamete attraction molecules: evidence for purifying selection in speract and its receptor, in the pantropical sea urchin Diadema. Evol Dev 2015; 17:92-108. [PMID: 25627716 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Many free-spawning marine invertebrates, such as sea urchins, lack any courtship or assortative mating behavior. Mate recognition in such cases occur at the gametic level, and molecules present on the sperm and egg are major determinants of species-specific fertilization. These molecules must also coevolve in relation to each other in order to preserve functional integrity. When sea urchins release their gametes in seawater, diffusible molecules from the egg, termed sperm-activating peptides, activate and attract the sperm to swim toward the egg, initiating a series of interactions between the gametes. Although the compositions and diversity of such sperm-activating peptides have been characterized in a variety of sea urchins, little is known about the evolution of their genes. Here we characterize the genes encoding the sperm-activating peptide of the egg (speract) and its receptor on the sperm, and examine their evolutionary dynamics in the sea urchin genus Diadema, in the interest of determining whether they are involved in reproductive isolation between the species. We found evidence of purifying selection on several codon sites in both molecules and of selectively neutral evolution in others. The diffusible speract peptide that activates sperm is invariant across species, indicating that Diadema egg peptides do not discriminate between con- and hetero-specific sperm at this stage of the process. Speract and its receptor do not contribute to reproductive isolation in Diadema.
Collapse
|
21
|
Strünker T, Kaupp UB. Larry Cohen-50 ways to DYE your science. NEUROPHOTONICS 2015; 2:021004. [PMID: 26157995 PMCID: PMC4487647 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.2.2.021004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Timo Strünker
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - U. Benjamin Kaupp
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Department of Molecular Sensory Systems, Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Abstract
Cilia and flagella are closely related centriole-nucleated protrusions of the cell with roles in motility and signal transduction. Two of the best-studied signalling pathways organized by cilia are the transduction cascade for the morphogen Hedgehog in vertebrates and the mating pathway that initiates gamete fusion in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. What is the role of cilia in these signalling transduction cascades? In both Hedgehog and mating pathways, all signalling intermediates have been found to localize to cilia, and, for some signalling factors, ciliary localization is regulated by pathway activation. Given a concentration factor of three orders of magnitude provided by translocating a protein into the cilium, the compartment model proposes that cilia act as miniaturized reaction tubes bringing signalling factors and processing enzymes in close proximity. On the other hand, the scaffolding model views the intraflagellar transport machinery, whose primary function is to build cilia and flagella, as a molecular scaffold for the mating transduction cascade at the flagellar membrane. While these models may coexist, it is hoped that a precise understanding of the mechanisms that govern signalling inside cilia will provide a satisfying answer to the question 'how do cilia organize signalling?'. This review covers the evidence supporting each model of signalling and outlines future directions that may address which model applies in given biological settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maxence V Nachury
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Strünker T, Alvarez L, Kaupp UB. At the physical limit - chemosensation in sperm. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2015; 34:110-6. [PMID: 25768273 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2015.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Revised: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Many cells probe their environment for chemical cues. Some cells respond to picomolar concentrations of neuropeptides, hormones, pheromones, or chemoattractants. At such low concentrations, cells encounter only a few molecules. The mechanistic underpinnings of single-molecule sensitivity are not known for any eukaryotic cell. Sea urchin sperm offer a unique model to unveil in quantitative terms the principles underlying chemosensation at the physical limit. Here, we discuss the mechanisms of such exquisite sensitivity and the computational operations performed by sperm during chemotactic steering. Moreover, we highlight commonalities and differences between signalling in sperm and photoreceptors and among sperm from different species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- T Strünker
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn 53175, Germany
| | - L Alvarez
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn 53175, Germany
| | - U B Kaupp
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, Bonn 53175, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Seifert R, Flick M, Bönigk W, Alvarez L, Trötschel C, Poetsch A, Müller A, Goodwin N, Pelzer P, Kashikar ND, Kremmer E, Jikeli J, Timmermann B, Kuhl H, Fridman D, Windler F, Kaupp UB, Strünker T. The CatSper channel controls chemosensation in sea urchin sperm. EMBO J 2014; 34:379-92. [PMID: 25535245 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201489376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm guidance is controlled by chemical and physical cues. In many species, Ca(2+) bursts in the flagellum govern navigation to the egg. In Arbacia punctulata, a model system of sperm chemotaxis, a cGMP signaling pathway controls these Ca(2+) bursts. The underlying Ca(2+) channel and its mechanisms of activation are unknown. Here, we identify CatSper Ca(2+) channels in the flagellum of A. punctulata sperm. We show that CatSper mediates the chemoattractant-evoked Ca(2+) influx and controls chemotactic steering; a concomitant alkalization serves as a highly cooperative mechanism that enables CatSper to transduce periodic voltage changes into Ca(2+) bursts. Our results reveal intriguing phylogenetic commonalities but also variations between marine invertebrates and mammals regarding the function and control of CatSper. The variations probably reflect functional and mechanistic adaptations that evolved during the transition from external to internal fertilization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reinhard Seifert
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), Abteilung Molekulare Neurosensorik, Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Melanie Flick
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), Abteilung Molekulare Neurosensorik, Bonn, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Bönigk
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), Abteilung Molekulare Neurosensorik, Bonn, Germany
| | - Luis Alvarez
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), Abteilung Molekulare Neurosensorik, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Ansgar Poetsch
- Ruhr-Universität Bochum Lehrstuhl Biochemie der Pflanzen, Bochum, Germany
| | - Astrid Müller
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), Abteilung Molekulare Neurosensorik, Bonn, Germany
| | - Normann Goodwin
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA Laboratory of Molecular Signalling, Babraham Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | - Patric Pelzer
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA Institut für Anatomie und Zellbiologie, Abteilung für Funktionelle Neuroanatomie, Universität Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Nachiket D Kashikar
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK
| | - Elisabeth Kremmer
- Helmholtz-Zentrum München, Institut für Molekulare Immunologie, München, Germany
| | - Jan Jikeli
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), Abteilung Molekulare Neurosensorik, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Heiner Kuhl
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Genetik, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dmitry Fridman
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), Abteilung Molekulare Neurosensorik, Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Florian Windler
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), Abteilung Molekulare Neurosensorik, Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - U Benjamin Kaupp
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), Abteilung Molekulare Neurosensorik, Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Timo Strünker
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (Caesar), Abteilung Molekulare Neurosensorik, Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Pichlo M, Bungert-Plümke S, Weyand I, Seifert R, Bönigk W, Strünker T, Kashikar ND, Goodwin N, Müller A, Pelzer P, Van Q, Enderlein J, Klemm C, Krause E, Trötschel C, Poetsch A, Kremmer E, Kaupp UB, Körschen HG, Collienne U. High density and ligand affinity confer ultrasensitive signal detection by a guanylyl cyclase chemoreceptor. J Cell Biol 2014; 206:541-57. [PMID: 25135936 PMCID: PMC4137060 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201402027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Guanylyl cyclases (GCs), which synthesize the messenger cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate, control several sensory functions, such as phototransduction, chemosensation, and thermosensation, in many species from worms to mammals. The GC chemoreceptor in sea urchin sperm can decode chemoattractant concentrations with single-molecule sensitivity. The molecular and cellular underpinnings of such ultrasensitivity are not known for any eukaryotic chemoreceptor. In this paper, we show that an exquisitely high density of 3 × 10(5) GC chemoreceptors and subnanomolar ligand affinity provide a high ligand-capture efficacy and render sperm perfect absorbers. The GC activity is terminated within 150 ms by dephosphorylation steps of the receptor, which provides a means for precise control of the GC lifetime and which reduces "molecule noise." Compared with other ultrasensitive sensory systems, the 10-fold signal amplification by the GC receptor is surprisingly low. The hallmarks of this signaling mechanism provide a blueprint for chemical sensing in small compartments, such as olfactory cilia, insect antennae, or even synaptic boutons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Pichlo
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, 53175 Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543
| | - Stefanie Bungert-Plümke
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543 Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-4), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Ingo Weyand
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543 Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-4), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Reinhard Seifert
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, 53175 Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543
| | - Wolfgang Bönigk
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Timo Strünker
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, 53175 Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543
| | - Nachiket Dilip Kashikar
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, 53175 Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543 Sussex Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QG, England, UK
| | - Normann Goodwin
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, 53175 Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543 Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, England, UK
| | - Astrid Müller
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, 53175 Bonn, Germany
| | - Patric Pelzer
- Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543 Department of Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Heidelberg University, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Qui Van
- III. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jörg Enderlein
- III. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Clementine Klemm
- Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Eberhard Krause
- Leibniz-Institut für Molekulare Pharmakologie, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Ansgar Poetsch
- Plant Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum. 44801 Bochum, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Kremmer
- Institut für Molekulare Immunologie, Helmholtz-Zentrum München, 81377 München, Germany
| | - U Benjamin Kaupp
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, 53175 Bonn, Germany Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Vacquier VD, Loza-Huerta A, García-Rincón J, Darszon A, Beltrán C. Soluble adenylyl cyclase of sea urchin spermatozoa. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2014; 1842:2621-8. [PMID: 25064590 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2014.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Revised: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Fertilization, a key step in sexual reproduction, requires orchestrated changes in cAMP concentrations. It is notable that spermatozoa (sperm) are among the cell types with extremely high adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity. As production and consumption of this second messenger need to be locally regulated, the discovery of soluble AC (sAC) has broadened our understanding of how such cells deal with these requirements. In addition, because sAC is directly regulated by HCO(3)(-) it is able to translate CO₂/HCO(3)(-)/pH changes into cAMP levels. Fundamental sperm functions such as maturation, motility regulation and the acrosome reaction are influenced by cAMP; this is especially true for sperm of the sea urchin (SU), an organism that has been a model in the study of fertilization for more than 130 years. Here we summarize the discovery and properties of SU sperm sAC, and discuss its involvement in sperm physiology. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The role of soluble adenylyl cyclase in health and disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victor D Vacquier
- Marine Biology Research Division, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0202, USA.
| | - Arlet Loza-Huerta
- Departamento de Neurociencia Cognitiva, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Distrito Federal 04510, Mexico.
| | - Juan García-Rincón
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico.
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico.
| | - Carmen Beltrán
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62210, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Sugiyama H, Chandler DE. Sperm guidance to the egg finds calcium at the helm. PROTOPLASMA 2014; 251:461-475. [PMID: 24085342 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-013-0550-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2013] [Accepted: 09/05/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Sperm respond to multiple cues during guidance to the egg including chemical attractants, temperature, and fluid flow. Of these, sperm chemotaxis has been studied most extensively-over 100 years-but only recently has it started to be understood at the molecular level. The long gestation in this understanding has largely been due to technical limitations that include the detection of calcium signal dynamics in a relatively small structure-the flagellum, measurement of actual chemoattractant gradients, the fact that only subpopulations of sperm respond at any given time, and the diversity in swimming behaviors that sperm exhibit from different species. Today, measurements of flagellar calcium signals on a fast time scale, discovery of the ion channels and organelles that may regulate these signals, and better understanding and quantitation of sperm swimming behaviors involved have given more certainty to our understanding of sperm directional swimming and its control by characteristic, calcium-directed asymmetric flagellar bends. Future research will need to apply these technical advances to other forms of sperm guidance such as thermotaxis and rheotaxis as well as gaining an understanding of how the flagellar apparatus is controlled by calcium.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Sugiyama
- Science and Technology Group, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Tung CK, Ardon F, Fiore A, Suarez SS, Wu M. Cooperative roles of biological flow and surface topography in guiding sperm migration revealed by a microfluidic model. LAB ON A CHIP 2014; 14:1348-56. [PMID: 24535032 PMCID: PMC4497544 DOI: 10.1039/c3lc51297e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Successful reproduction in mammals requires sperm to swim against a fluid flow and through the long and complex female reproductive tract before reaching the egg in the oviduct. Millions of them do not make it. Despite their clinical importance, the roles played in sperm migration by the diverse biophysical and biochemical microenvironments within the reproductive tract are largely unknown. In this article, we present the development of a double layer microfluidic device that recreates two important biophysical environments within the female reproductive tract: fluid flow and surface topography. The unique feature of the device is that it enables one to study the cooperative roles of fluid flow and surface topography in guiding sperm migration. Using bull sperm as a model system, we found that microfluidic grooves embedded on a channel surface facilitate sperm migration against fluid flow. These findings suggest ways to design in vitro fertilization devices to treat infertility and to develop non-invasive contraceptives that use a microarchitectural design to entrap sperm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chih-kuan Tung
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Florencia Ardon
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Alyssa Fiore
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Susan S. Suarez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Mingming Wu
- Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Pitts RJ, Liu C, Zhou X, Malpartida JC, Zwiebel LJ. Odorant receptor-mediated sperm activation in disease vector mosquitoes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:2566-71. [PMID: 24550284 PMCID: PMC3932880 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1322923111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects, such as the malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles gambiae, depend upon chemoreceptors to respond to volatiles emitted from a range of environmental sources, most notably blood meal hosts and oviposition sites. A subset of peripheral signaling pathways involved in these insect chemosensory-dependent behaviors requires the activity of heteromeric odorant receptor (OR) ion channel complexes and ligands for numerous A. gambiae ORs (AgOrs) have been identified. Although AgOrs are expressed in nonhead appendages, studies characterizing potential AgOr function in nonolfactory tissues have not been conducted. In the present study, we explore the possibility that AgOrs mediate responses of spermatozoa to endogenous signaling molecules in A. gambiae. In addition to finding AgOr transcript expression in testes, we show that the OR coreceptor, AgOrco, is localized to the flagella of A. gambiae spermatozoa where Orco-specific agonists, antagonists, and other odorant ligands robustly activate flagella beating in an Orco-dependent process. We also demonstrate Orco expression and Orco-mediated activation of spermatozoa in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Moreover, we find Orco localization in testes across distinct insect taxa and posit that OR-mediated responses in spermatozoa may represent a general characteristic of insect reproduction and an example of convergent evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R. Jason Pitts
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235; and
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235; and
| | - Xiaofan Zhou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235; and
| | - Juan C. Malpartida
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235; and
| | - Laurence J. Zwiebel
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235; and
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Program in Developmental Biology and Institutes of Chemical Biology and Global Health, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37235
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Alvarez L, Friedrich BM, Gompper G, Kaupp UB. The computational sperm cell. Trends Cell Biol 2013; 24:198-207. [PMID: 24342435 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2013.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2013] [Revised: 10/13/2013] [Accepted: 10/14/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Sperm are guided to the egg by a gradient of chemical attractants - a process called chemotaxis. The binding of the chemoattractant to receptors on the surface of the flagellum triggers a cascade of signaling events that eventually lead to an influx of Ca(2+) ions. Based on these Ca(2+) surges, which control the waveform of the flagellar beat, sperm adjust their swimming path toward the egg. In past years, many components of chemotactic signaling have been identified. Moreover, kinetic spectroscopy and imaging techniques unraveled the sequence of cellular events controlling swimming behavior. During navigation in a chemical gradient, sperm perform a surprising variety of computational operations. Here we discuss theoretical concepts of navigation strategies and the cellular underpinnings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis Alvarez
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (CAESAR), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Benjamin M Friedrich
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Nöthnitzer Straße 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
| | - Gerhard Gompper
- Research Centre Jülich, Institute of Complex Systems (ICS-2), 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - U Benjamin Kaupp
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (CAESAR), Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2, 53175 Bonn, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Caballero-Campo P, Buffone MG, Benencia F, Conejo-García JR, Rinaudo PF, Gerton GL. A role for the chemokine receptor CCR6 in mammalian sperm motility and chemotaxis. J Cell Physiol 2013; 229:68-78. [PMID: 23765988 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.24418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2013] [Accepted: 06/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Although recent evidence indicates that several chemokines and defensins, well-known as inflammatory mediators, are expressed in the male and female reproductive tracts, the location and functional significance of chemokine networks in sperm physiology and sperm reproductive tract interactions are poorly understood. To address this deficiency in our knowledge, we examined the expression and function in sperm of CCR6, a receptor common to several chemoattractant peptides, and screened several reproductive tract fluids for the presence of specific ligands. CCR6 protein is present in mouse and human sperm and mainly localized in the sperm tail with other minor patterns in sperm from mice (neck and acrosomal region) and men (neck and midpiece regions). As expected from the protein immunoblotting and immunofluorescence results, mouse Ccr6 mRNA is expressed in the testis. Furthermore, the Defb29 mRNA encoding the CCR6 ligand, β-defensin DEFB29, is expressed at high levels in the epididymis. As determined by protein chip analysis, several chemokines (including some that act through CCR6, such as CCL20/MIP-3α (formerly macrophage inflammatory protein 3α) and protein hormones were present in human follicular fluid, endometrial secretions, and seminal plasma. In functional chemotaxis assays, capacitated human sperm exhibited a directional movement towards CCL20, and displayed modifications in motility parameters. Our data indicate that chemokine ligand/receptor interactions in the male and female genital tracts promote sperm motility and chemotaxis under non-inflammatory conditions. Therefore, some of the physiological reactions mediated by CCR6 ligands in male reproduction extend beyond a pro-inflammatory response and might find application in clinical reproduction and/or contraception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Caballero-Campo
- Unidad de Reproducción Humana, Clínica Tambre, Madrid, Spain; Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Reproductive Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Kaupp U. 100 years of sperm chemotaxis. J Biophys Biochem Cytol 2012. [DOI: 10.1083/jcb1996oia9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
|