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van den Hoven L, van Vrouwerff NJ, Dijkstra IM, Weeteling J, Brinkman JW, Eliveld J, Wetzels AMM. Evaluation of structural problems in the application of strict criteria for sperm morphology assessment. Andrology 2024. [PMID: 38924385 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The WHO manual for basic semen analysis and ISO 23162 describe sperm morphology assessment as a standard part of semen analysis. Older studies showed a correlation between morphology results and (artificial) conception. In more recent studies this relationship was less apparent and there is more emphasis on sperm morphology as a marker for healthy spermatogenesis (and general male health). Meantime, many laboratories ceased morphology assessment, probably due to unfamiliarity with this paradigmatic shift and to technical difficulties in the assessment, like the interpretation of morphological criteria. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to identify morphological criteria with high variability in results in the Dutch External Quality Control (EQC) program. MATERIAL AND METHODS Over the period 2015-2020, a total of 72 photos of sperm cells along with dichotomous propositions based on 14 criteria as defined in WHO5 (2010) were distributed in the Dutch EQC program for semen analysis. The EQC results were evaluated for variability per criterion and for trends in time. RESULTS Between 2015 and 2020, 40 to 60 laboratories assessed the photos. Criteria with low variability between participants were related to acrosomal vacuoles, excessive residual cytoplasm, and tail metrics. In contrast, head ovality, regularity of head and midpiece contours, and alignment of the major axis of the midpiece and head led to the highest variability in outcomes. In general, there was a slightly positive trend (lower variability) in time, except for the criteria with the highest variability (stable or declining trend). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION This study indicates that there are (high) variabilities in the interpretation of the morphological criteria, leading to inconsistent outcomes of morphology assessment. The results are discussed from the perspective of imperfections in definitions and examples of the criteria as given in the WHO manuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie van den Hoven
- Fertility Laboratory Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ineke M Dijkstra
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, St Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Jasper Weeteling
- Fertility Laboratory Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jacoline W Brinkman
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Hospital St. Jansdal, Harderwijk, The Netherlands
| | - Jitske Eliveld
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Section of reproductive medicine, University Medical Centre Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alex M M Wetzels
- Fertility Laboratory Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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2
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Brisard BM, Cashwell KD, Stewart SM, Harrison LM, Charles AC, Dennis CV, Henslee IR, Carrow EL, Belcher HA, Bhowmick D, Vos P, Bier M, Hart DM, Schmidt CA. "Modeling Diffusive Search by Non-Adaptive Sperm: Empirical and Computational Insights". BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.17.599386. [PMID: 38948799 PMCID: PMC11212867 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.17.599386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
During fertilization, mammalian sperm undergo a winnowing selection process that reduces the candidate pool of potential fertilizers from ~106-1011 cells to 101-102 cells (depending on the species). Classical sperm competition theory addresses the positive or 'stabilizing' selection that acts on sperm phenotypes within populations of organisms but does not strictly address the developmental consequences of sperm traits among individual organisms that are under purifying selection during fertilization. It is the latter that is of utmost concern for improving assisted reproductive technologies (ART) because 'low fitness' sperm may be inadvertently used for fertilization during interventions that rely heavily on artificial sperm selection, such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Importantly, some form of sperm selection is used in nearly all forms of ART (e.g., differential centrifugation, swim-up, or hyaluronan binding assays, etc.). To date, there is no unifying quantitative framework (i.e., theory of sperm selection) that synthesizes causal mechanisms of selection with observed natural variation in individual sperm traits. In this report, we reframe the physiological function of sperm as a collective diffusive search process and develop multi-scale computational models to explore the causal dynamics that constrain sperm 'fitness' during fertilization. Several experimentally useful concepts are developed, including a probabilistic measure of sperm 'fitness' as well as an information theoretic measure of the magnitude of sperm selection, each of which are assessed under systematic increases in microenvironmental selective pressure acting on sperm motility patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Ivie R. Henslee
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville NC
| | - Ethan L. Carrow
- Department of Biology, East Carolina University, Greenville NC
| | - Heather A. Belcher
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University
| | - Debajit Bhowmick
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University
| | - Paul Vos
- Department of Public Health, East Carolina University, Greenville NC
| | - Martin Bier
- Department of Physics, East Carolina University, Greenville NC
| | - David M. Hart
- Department of Computer Science, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
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3
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Hernández HO, Montoya F, Hernández-Herrera P, Díaz-Guerrero DS, Olveres J, Bloomfield-Gadêlha H, Darszon A, Escalante-Ramírez B, Corkidi G. Feature-based 3D+t descriptors of hyperactivated human sperm beat patterns. Heliyon 2024; 10:e26645. [PMID: 38444471 PMCID: PMC10912238 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The flagellar movement of the mammalian sperm plays a crucial role in fertilization. In the female reproductive tract, human spermatozoa undergo a process called capacitation which promotes changes in their motility. Only capacitated spermatozoa may be hyperactivated and only those that transition to hyperactivated motility are capable of fertilizing the egg. Hyperactivated motility is characterized by asymmetric flagellar bends of greater amplitude and lower frequency. Historically, clinical fertilization studies have used two-dimensional analysis to classify sperm motility, despite the inherently three-dimensional (3D) nature of sperm motion. Recent research has described several 3D beating features of sperm flagella. However, the 3D motility pattern of hyperactivated spermatozoa has not yet been characterized. One of the main challenges in classifying these patterns in 3D is the lack of a ground-truth reference, as it can be difficult to visually assess differences in flagellar beat patterns. Additionally, it is worth noting that only a relatively small proportion, approximately 10-20% of sperm incubated under capacitating conditions exhibit hyperactivated motility. In this work, we used a multifocal image acquisition system that can acquire, segment, and track sperm flagella in 3D+t. We developed a feature-based vector that describes the spatio-temporal flagellar sperm motility patterns by an envelope of ellipses. The classification results obtained using our 3D feature-based descriptors can serve as potential label for future work involving deep neural networks. By using the classification results as labels, it will be possible to train a deep neural network to automatically classify spermatozoa based on their 3D flagellar beating patterns. We demonstrated the effectiveness of the descriptors by applying them to a dataset of human sperm cells and showing that they can accurately differentiate between non-hyperactivated and hyperactivated 3D motility patterns of the sperm cells. This work contributes to the understanding of 3D flagellar hyperactive motility patterns and provides a framework for research in the fields of human and animal fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haydee O. Hernández
- Posgrado en Ciencia e Ingeniería de la Computación, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UNAM, Ciudad de México, Mexico
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Fernando Montoya
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Paul Hernández-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, Cuernavaca, Mexico
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Dan S. Díaz-Guerrero
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Jimena Olveres
- Departamento de Procesamiento de Señales, Facultad de Ingeniería, UNAM, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Hermes Bloomfield-Gadêlha
- Department of Engineering Mathematics and Technology, Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Boris Escalante-Ramírez
- Departamento de Procesamiento de Señales, Facultad de Ingeniería, UNAM, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Corkidi
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, Cuernavaca, Mexico
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4
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Tufoni C, Battistella A, Luppi S, Boscolo R, Ricci G, Lazzarino M, Andolfi L. Flagellar beating forces of human spermatozoa with different motility behaviors. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2024; 22:28. [PMID: 38448984 PMCID: PMC10916019 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-024-01197-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the causes of male infertility is associated with altered spermatozoa motility. These sperm features are frequently analyzed by image-based approaches, which, despite allowing the acquisition of crucial parameters to assess sperm motility, they are unable to provide details regarding the flagellar beating forces, which have been neglected until now. RESULTS In this work we exploit Fluidic Force Microscopy to investigate and quantify the forces associated with the flagellar beating frequencies of human spermatozoa. The analysis is performed on two groups divided according to the progressive motility of semen samples, as identified by standard clinical protocols. In the first group, 100% of the spermatozoa swim linearly (100% progressive motility), while, in the other, spermatozoa show both linear and circular motility (identified as 80 - 20% progressive motility). Significant differences in flagellar beating forces between spermatozoa from semen sample with different progressive motility are observed. Particularly, linear motile spermatozoa exhibit forces higher than those with a circular movement. CONCLUSIONS This research can increase our understanding of sperm motility and the role of mechanics in fertilization, which could help us unveil some of the causes of idiopathic male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Tufoni
- University of Trieste, Trieste, 34100, Italy
- CNR-Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), SS 14 km 163.5 Area Science Park Basovizza, Trieste, 34149, Italy
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy
| | - Alice Battistella
- CNR-Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), SS 14 km 163.5 Area Science Park Basovizza, Trieste, 34149, Italy
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light & Max-Planck-Zentrum für Physik und Medizin, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefania Luppi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy
| | - Rita Boscolo
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ricci
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health - IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy.
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Marco Lazzarino
- CNR-Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), SS 14 km 163.5 Area Science Park Basovizza, Trieste, 34149, Italy
| | - Laura Andolfi
- CNR-Istituto Officina dei Materiali (IOM), SS 14 km 163.5 Area Science Park Basovizza, Trieste, 34149, Italy.
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5
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Hanassab S, Abbara A, Yeung AC, Voliotis M, Tsaneva-Atanasova K, Kelsey TW, Trew GH, Nelson SM, Heinis T, Dhillo WS. The prospect of artificial intelligence to personalize assisted reproductive technology. NPJ Digit Med 2024; 7:55. [PMID: 38429464 PMCID: PMC10907618 DOI: 10.1038/s41746-024-01006-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Infertility affects 1-in-6 couples, with repeated intensive cycles of assisted reproductive technology (ART) required by many to achieve a desired live birth. In ART, typically, clinicians and laboratory staff consider patient characteristics, previous treatment responses, and ongoing monitoring to determine treatment decisions. However, the reproducibility, weighting, and interpretation of these characteristics are contentious, and highly operator-dependent, resulting in considerable reliance on clinical experience. Artificial intelligence (AI) is ideally suited to handle, process, and analyze large, dynamic, temporal datasets with multiple intermediary outcomes that are generated during an ART cycle. Here, we review how AI has demonstrated potential for optimization and personalization of key steps in a reproducible manner, including: drug selection and dosing, cycle monitoring, induction of oocyte maturation, and selection of the most competent gametes and embryos, to improve the overall efficacy and safety of ART.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Hanassab
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, UK
- UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in AI for Healthcare, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Ali Abbara
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Arthur C Yeung
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK
| | - Margaritis Voliotis
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- EPSRC Hub for Quantitative Modelling in Healthcare, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Living Systems Institute, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- EPSRC Hub for Quantitative Modelling in Healthcare, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Tom W Kelsey
- School of Computer Science, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Geoffrey H Trew
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
- The Fertility Partnership, Oxford, UK
| | - Scott M Nelson
- The Fertility Partnership, Oxford, UK
- School of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Biomedical Research Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Thomas Heinis
- Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Waljit S Dhillo
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK.
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6
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Corkidi G, Montoya F, González-Cota AL, Hernández-Herrera P, Bruce NC, Bloomfield-Gadêlha H, Darszon A. Human sperm rotate with a conserved direction during free swimming in four dimensions. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs261306. [PMID: 37902031 PMCID: PMC10729817 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.261306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Head rotation in human spermatozoa is essential for different swimming modes and fertilisation, as it links the molecular workings of the flagellar beat with sperm motion in three-dimensional (3D) space over time. Determining the direction of head rotation has been hindered by the symmetry and translucent nature of the sperm head, and by the fast 3D motion driven by the helical flagellar beat. Analysis has been mostly restricted to two-dimensional (2D) single focal plane image analysis, which enables tracking of head centre position but not tracking of head rotation. Despite the conserved helical beating of the human sperm flagellum, human sperm head rotation has been reported to be uni- or bi-directional, and even to intermittently change direction in a given cell. Here, we directly measure the head rotation of freely swimming human sperm using multi-plane 4D (3D+t) microscopy and show that: (1) 2D microscopy is unable to distinguish head rotation direction in human spermatozoa; (2) head rotation direction in non-capacitating and capacitating solutions, for both aqueous and viscous media, is counterclockwise (CCW), as seen from head to tail, in all rotating spermatozoa, regardless of the experimental conditions; and (3) head rotation is suppressed in 36% of spermatozoa swimming in non-capacitating viscous medium, although CCW rotation is recovered after incubation in capacitating conditions within the same viscous medium, possibly unveiling an unexplored aspect of the essential need of capacitation for fertilisation. Our observations show that the CCW head rotation in human sperm is conserved. It constitutes a robust and persistent helical driving mechanism that influences sperm navigation in 3D space over time, and thus is of critical importance in cell motility, propulsion of flagellated microorganisms, sperm motility assessments, human reproduction research, and self-organisation of flagellar beating patterns and swimming in 3D space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Corkidi
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, México
| | - Fernando Montoya
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, México
| | - Ana L. González-Cota
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular and Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, México
| | - Paul Hernández-Herrera
- Laboratorio Nacional de Microscopía Avanzada, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, México
| | - Neil C. Bruce
- Instituto de Ciencias Aplicadas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Exterior S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Ciudad de México, México
| | - Hermes Bloomfield-Gadêlha
- School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology & Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TW, UK
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular and Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca 62210, México
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7
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Bisconti M, Leroy B, Gallagher MT, Senet C, Martinet B, Arcolia V, Wattiez R, Kirkman-Brown JC, Simon JF, Hennebert E. The ribosome inhibitor chloramphenicol induces motility deficits in human spermatozoa: A proteomic approach identifies potentially involved proteins. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:965076. [PMID: 36120567 PMCID: PMC9478589 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.965076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mature spermatozoa are almost completely devoid of cytoplasm; as such it has long been believed that they do not contain ribosomes and are therefore not capable of synthesising proteins. However, since the 1950s, various studies have shown translational activity within spermatozoa, particularly during their in vitro capacitation. But the type of ribosomes involved (cytoplasmic or mitochondrial) is still debated. Here, we investigate the presence and activity of the two types of ribosomes in mature human spermatozoa. By targeting ribosomal RNAs and proteins, we show that both types of ribosomes are localized in the midpiece as well as in the neck and the base of the head of the spermatozoa. We assessed the impact of cycloheximide (CHX) and chloramphenicol (CP), inhibitors of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial ribosomes, respectively, on different sperm parameters. Neither CHX, nor CP impacted sperm vitality, mitochondrial activity (measured through the ATP content), or capacitation (measured through the content in phosphotyrosines). However, increasing CP concentrations induced a decrease in total and progressive motilities as well as on some kinematic parameters while no effect was observed with CHX. A quantitative proteomic analysis was performed by mass spectrometry in SWATH mode to compare the proteomes of spermatozoa capacitated in the absence or presence of the two ribosome inhibitors. Among the ∼700 proteins identified in the different tested conditions, 3, 3 and 25 proteins presented a modified abundance in the presence of 1 and 2 mg/ml of CHX, and 1 mg/ml of CP, respectively. The observed abundance variations of some CP-down regulated proteins were validated using Multiple-Reaction Monitoring (MRM). Taken together, our results are in favor of an activity of mitochondrial ribosomes. Their inhibition by CP results in a decrease in the abundance of several proteins, at least FUNDC2 and QRICH2, and consequently induces sperm motility deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Bisconti
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute for Biosciences, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Baptiste Leroy
- Laboratory of Proteomics and Microbiology, CISMa, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Meurig T. Gallagher
- Centre for Systems Modelling and Quantitative Biomedicine, University of Birmingham, Centre for Human Reproductive Science, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Coralie Senet
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute for Biosciences, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Baptiste Martinet
- Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Vanessa Arcolia
- Clinique de Fertilité Régionale de Mons, CHU Ambroise Paré Hospital, Mons, Belgium
| | - Ruddy Wattiez
- Laboratory of Proteomics and Microbiology, CISMa, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Jackson C. Kirkman-Brown
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, Centre for Human Reproductive Science, Birmingham Women’s and Children’s National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-François Simon
- Clinique de Fertilité Régionale de Mons, CHU Ambroise Paré Hospital, Mons, Belgium
| | - Elise Hennebert
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute for Biosciences, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Elise Hennebert,
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8
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Hansen JN, Gong A, Wachten D, Pascal R, Turpin A, Jikeli JF, Kaupp UB, Alvarez L. Multifocal imaging for precise, label-free tracking of fast biological processes in 3D. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4574. [PMID: 34321468 PMCID: PMC8319204 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24768-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Many biological processes happen on a nano- to millimeter scale and within milliseconds. Established methods such as confocal microscopy are suitable for precise 3D recordings but lack the temporal or spatial resolution to resolve fast 3D processes and require labeled samples. Multifocal imaging (MFI) allows high-speed 3D imaging but is limited by the compromise between high spatial resolution and large field-of-view (FOV), and the requirement for bright fluorescent labels. Here, we provide an open-source 3D reconstruction algorithm for multi-focal images that allows using MFI for fast, precise, label-free tracking spherical and filamentous structures in a large FOV and across a high depth. We characterize fluid flow and flagellar beating of human and sea urchin sperm with a z-precision of 0.15 µm, in a volume of 240 × 260 × 21 µm, and at high speed (500 Hz). The sampling volume allowed to follow sperm trajectories while simultaneously recording their flagellar beat. Our MFI concept is cost-effective, can be easily implemented, and does not rely on object labeling, which renders it broadly applicable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan N Hansen
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - An Gong
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Molecular Sensory Systems, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dagmar Wachten
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - René Pascal
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Molecular Sensory Systems, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alex Turpin
- School of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jan F Jikeli
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - U Benjamin Kaupp
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Molecular Sensory Systems, Bonn, Germany
- Life & Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Luis Alvarez
- Center of Advanced European Studies and Research (caesar), Molecular Sensory Systems, Bonn, Germany.
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9
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Gaffney EA, Ishimoto K, Walker BJ. Modelling Motility: The Mathematics of Spermatozoa. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:710825. [PMID: 34354994 PMCID: PMC8329702 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.710825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In one of the first examples of how mechanics can inform axonemal mechanism, Machin's study in the 1950s highlighted that observations of sperm motility cannot be explained by molecular motors in the cell membrane, but would instead require motors distributed along the flagellum. Ever since, mechanics and hydrodynamics have been recognised as important in explaining the dynamics, regulation, and guidance of sperm. More recently, the digitisation of sperm videomicroscopy, coupled with numerous modelling and methodological advances, has been bringing forth a new era of scientific discovery in this field. In this review, we survey these advances before highlighting the opportunities that have been generated for both recent research and the development of further open questions, in terms of the detailed characterisation of the sperm flagellum beat and its mechanics, together with the associated impact on cell behaviour. In particular, diverse examples are explored within this theme, ranging from how collective behaviours emerge from individual cell responses, including how these responses are impacted by the local microenvironment, to the integration of separate advances in the fields of flagellar analysis and flagellar mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamonn A. Gaffney
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kenta Ishimoto
- Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Benjamin J. Walker
- Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology, Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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10
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You JB, McCallum C, Wang Y, Riordon J, Nosrati R, Sinton D. Machine learning for sperm selection. Nat Rev Urol 2021; 18:387-403. [PMID: 34002070 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-021-00465-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Infertility rates and the number of couples seeking fertility care have increased worldwide over the past few decades. Over 2.5 million cycles of assisted reproductive technologies are being performed globally every year, but the success rate has remained at ~33%. Machine learning, an automated method of data analysis based on patterns and inference, is increasingly being deployed within the health-care sector to improve diagnostics and therapeutics. This technique is already aiding embryo selection in some fertility clinics, and has also been applied in research laboratories to improve sperm analysis and selection. Tremendous opportunities exist for machine learning to advance male fertility treatments. The fundamental challenge of sperm selection - selecting the most promising candidate from 108 gametes - presents a challenge that is uniquely well-suited to the high-throughput capabilities of machine learning algorithms paired with modern data processing capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Bem You
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Christopher McCallum
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yihe Wang
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason Riordon
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Reza Nosrati
- Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - David Sinton
- Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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11
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Cosson J. A 40 years journey with fish spermatozoa as companions as I personally experienced it. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2021; 47:757-765. [PMID: 33083947 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-020-00882-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
When, in the 1980s, I became interested in the spermatology of fish under the light microscope, active spermatozoa were only visible thanks to their head presenting a sort of "tremor." This situation was quite frustrating given the lack of possible information regarding the motor part called flagellum. We decided to apply simple technologies, including photography. Due to the high speed of the moving fish flagellum, the microscope illumination used a pulsed light strobe combined with a dark field microscope to record the flagellum image despite its small diameter (< 0.5 μm). Then came high-speed cinematographic microscopy up to 200 fps, as well as video cameras. At the end of the 1990s, an automatic moving object video tracking system began to be commercialized (CASA) with main advantages such as (a) a large number of cells tracked, which greatly improves statistics, (b) computer assistance allowing an automatic analysis that provides many motility parameters. Nevertheless, CASA systems are still unable to provide information about fish sperm flagella that move fast. During the 1990s, analog video camera technologies allowed acquisition of flagellum images with high resolution for detailed analysis. Since the 2000s, the use of high-speed video cameras allows the acquisition of images at a much higher resolution and frequency, up to 10,000 frames per second. Since it became possible to visualize the flagella in motion, a noble function was added to that of a propeller: that of a rudder with what a spermatozoon responds to specific signals delivered by the egg for its guidance. In the future, one can wish that an automatic flagella movement analyzer will become functional. This brief anthology puts forward the large amount of progress accomplished during past 40-year period about spermatozoa movement analysis, especially in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacky Cosson
- Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České-Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodnany, Czech Republic.
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12
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Gacem S, Valverde A, Catalán J, Yánez Ortiz I, Soler C, Miró J. A New Approach of Sperm Motility Subpopulation Structure in Donkey and Horse. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:651477. [PMID: 34113670 PMCID: PMC8186528 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.651477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to characterize the sperm kinematic values with high frames per second, to define the subpopulation structure of a horse and a donkey and compare them. A total of 57 fresh semen ejaculates (26 Spanish and 16 Arabian horse breeds and 10 donkeys) were collected and subsequently analyzed for kinematic parameters using the Computer-aided sperm motility analysis ISAS®v1.2 system and using a Spermtrack® 10-μm depth counting chamber. Sequences were recorded at 250 frames per second, and eight kinematic parameters were automatically evaluated. All kinematic parameters showed significant differences between a donkey and a horse and between horse breeds. All ejaculates evaluated showed excellent semen motility characteristics, with significantly higher values for all kinematic parameters for donkeys compared with horses except for beat-cross frequency. Donkey sperm was faster and linear than the horse. Regarding horse breeds differences, the Spanish horse had higher average path velocity, curvilinear velocity, and beat-cross frequency compared with the Arabian horse. Spanish horse sperm was rapid, but Arab horse was more linear. The principal component analysis showed three sperm subpopulations in the ejaculate of donkeys and horses with a significantly different motility characteristic between them. The dominant subpopulation for both donkey and horse was for rapid, straight, and linear with a high beat sperm (38.2 and 41.7%, respectively), whereas the lowest subpopulation was for the slowest and non-linear sperms. This, plus slight differences in the distribution of these subpopulations between Arabian and Spanish horses, were found. In conclusion, higher frames permitted to have a new interpretation of motile subpopulations with species and breed differences. More so, future works on donkey and horse breed spermatozoa should take into account differences between breeds that may interfere and alter the real analysis performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Gacem
- Equine Reproduction Service, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery Veterinary Faculty, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Anthony Valverde
- Costa Rica Institute of Technology, School of Agronomy, Alajuela, Costa Rica
| | - Jaime Catalán
- Equine Reproduction Service, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery Veterinary Faculty, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Iván Yánez Ortiz
- Equine Reproduction Service, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery Veterinary Faculty, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carles Soler
- Universitat de València, Departamento de Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología Física, Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jordi Miró
- Equine Reproduction Service, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery Veterinary Faculty, Catalonia, Spain
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13
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Tung CK, Suarez SS. Co-Adaptation of Physical Attributes of the Mammalian Female Reproductive Tract and Sperm to Facilitate Fertilization. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061297. [PMID: 34073739 PMCID: PMC8225031 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The functions of the female reproductive tract not only encompass sperm migration, storage, and fertilization, but also support the transport and development of the fertilized egg through to the birth of offspring. Further, because the tract is open to the external environment, it must also provide protection against invasive pathogens. In biophysics, sperm are considered “pusher microswimmers”, because they are propelled by pushing fluid behind them. This type of swimming by motile microorganisms promotes the tendency to swim along walls and upstream in gentle fluid flows. Thus, the architecture of the walls of the female tract, and the gentle flows created by cilia, can guide sperm migration. The viscoelasticity of the fluids in the tract, such as mucus secretions, also promotes the cooperative swimming of sperm that can improve fertilization success; at the same time, the mucus can also impede the invasion of pathogens. This review is focused on how the mammalian female reproductive tract and sperm interact physically to facilitate the movement of sperm to the site of fertilization. Knowledge of female/sperm interactions can not only explain how the female tract can physically guide sperm to the fertilization site, but can also be applied for the improvement of in vitro fertilization devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Kuan Tung
- Department of Physics, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Susan S. Suarez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;
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14
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van der Horst G. Status of Sperm Functionality Assessment in Wildlife Species: From Fish to Primates. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:1491. [PMID: 34064087 PMCID: PMC8224341 DOI: 10.3390/ani11061491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: in order to propagate wildlife species (covering the whole spectrum from species suitable for aquaculture to endangered species), it is important to have a good understanding of the quality of their sperm, oocytes and embryos. While sperm quality analyses have mainly used manual assessment in the past, such manual estimations are subjective and largely unreliable. Accordingly, quantitative and cutting-edge approaches are required to assess the various aspects of sperm quality. The purpose of this investigation was to illustrate the latest technology used in quantitative evaluation of sperm quality and the required cut-off points to distinguish the differential grades of fertility potential in a wide range of vertebrate species. (2) Methods: computer-aided sperm analysis (CASA) with an emphasis on sperm motility, 3D tracking and flagellar and sperm tracking analysis (FAST), as well as quantitative assessment of sperm morphology, vitality, acrosome status, fragmentation and many other complimentary technologies. (3) Results: Assessing sperm quality revealed a great deal of species specificity. For example, in freshwater fish like trout, sperm swam in a typical tight helical pattern, but in seawater species sperm motility was more progressive. In amphibian species, sperm velocity was slow, in contrast with some bird species (e.g., ostrich). Meanwhile, in African elephant and some antelope species, fast progressive sperm was evident. In most species, there was a high percentage of morphologically normal sperm, but generally, low percentages were observed for motility, vitality and normal morphology evident in monogamous species. (4) Conclusions: Sperm quality assessment using quantitative methodologies such as CASA motility, FAST analysis, morphology and vitality, as well as more progressive methodologies, assisted in better defining sperm quality-specifically, sperm functionality of high-quality sperm. This approach will assist in the propagation of wildlife species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard van der Horst
- Comparative Spermatology Laboratory, Department of Medical Bioscience, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa
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15
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Nandagiri A, Gaikwad AS, Potter DL, Nosrati R, Soria J, O'Bryan MK, Jadhav S, Prabhakar R. Flagellar energetics from high-resolution imaging of beating patterns in tethered mouse sperm. eLife 2021; 10:62524. [PMID: 33929317 PMCID: PMC8159377 DOI: 10.7554/elife.62524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We demonstrate a technique for investigating the energetics of flagella or cilia. We record the planar beating of tethered mouse sperm at high resolution. Beating waveforms are reconstructed using proper orthogonal decomposition of the centerline tangent-angle profiles. Energy conservation is employed to obtain the mechanical power exerted by the dynein motors from the observed kinematics. A large proportion of the mechanical power exerted by the dynein motors is dissipated internally by the motors themselves. There could also be significant dissipation within the passive structures of the flagellum. The total internal dissipation is considerably greater than the hydrodynamic dissipation in the aqueous medium outside. The net power input from the dynein motors in sperm from Crisp2-knockout mice is significantly smaller than in wildtype samples, indicating that ion-channel regulation by cysteine-rich secretory proteins controls energy flows powering the axoneme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashwin Nandagiri
- IITB-Monash Research Academy, Mumbai, India.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India.,Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | | | - David L Potter
- Monash Micro-Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Reza Nosrati
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Julio Soria
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Moira K O'Bryan
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Sameer Jadhav
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Ranganathan Prabhakar
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
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16
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Tanga BM, Qamar AY, Raza S, Bang S, Fang X, Yoon K, Cho J. Semen evaluation: methodological advancements in sperm quality-specific fertility assessment - A review. Anim Biosci 2021; 34:1253-1270. [PMID: 33902175 PMCID: PMC8255896 DOI: 10.5713/ab.21.0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Assessment of male fertility is based on the evaluation of sperm. Semen evaluation measures various sperm quality parameters as fertility indicators. However, semen evaluation has limitations, and it requires the advancement and application of strict quality control methods to interpret the results. This article reviews the recent advances in evaluating various sperm-specific quality characteristics and methodologies, with the help of different assays to assess sperm-fertility status. Sperm evaluation methods that include conventional microscopic methods, computer-assisted sperm analyzers (CASA), and flow cytometric analysis, provide precise information related to sperm morphology and function. Moreover, profiling fertility-related biomarkers in sperm or seminal plasma can be helpful in predicting fertility. Identification of different sperm proteins and diagnosis of DNA damage has positively contributed to the existing pool of knowledge about sperm physiology and molecular anomalies associated with different infertility issues in males. Advances in methods and sperm-specific evaluation has subsequently resulted in a better understanding of sperm biology that has improved the diagnosis and clinical management of male factor infertility. Accurate sperm evaluation is of paramount importance in the application of artificial insemination and assisted reproductive technology. However, no single test can precisely determine fertility; the selection of an appropriate test or a set of tests and parameters is required to accurately determine the fertility of specific animal species. Therefore, a need to further calibrate the CASA and advance the gene expression tests is recommended for faster and field-level applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bereket Molla Tanga
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea.,Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hawassa University, 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia
| | - Ahmad Yar Qamar
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea.,Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Jhang 35200, Sub-campus University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Sanan Raza
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Jhang 35200, Sub-campus University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan.,Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Jhang 35200, Sub-campus University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, PakistanDepartment of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Aydin 09016, Turkey
| | - Seonggyu Bang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Xun Fang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
| | - Kiyoung Yoon
- Department of Companion Animal, Shingu College, Seongnam 13174, Korea
| | - Jongki Cho
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea
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17
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Hansen JN, Rassmann S, Stüven B, Jurisch-Yaksi N, Wachten D. CiliaQ: a simple, open-source software for automated quantification of ciliary morphology and fluorescence in 2D, 3D, and 4D images. THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL. E, SOFT MATTER 2021; 44:18. [PMID: 33683488 PMCID: PMC7940315 DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-021-00031-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Cilia are hair-like membrane protrusions that emanate from the surface of most vertebrate cells and are classified into motile and primary cilia. Motile cilia move fluid flow or propel cells, while also fulfill sensory functions. Primary cilia are immotile and act as a cellular antenna, translating environmental cues into cellular responses. Ciliary dysfunction leads to severe diseases, commonly termed ciliopathies. The molecular details underlying ciliopathies and ciliary function are, however, not well understood. Since cilia are small subcellular compartments, imaging-based approaches have been used to study them. However, tools to comprehensively analyze images are lacking. Automatic analysis approaches require commercial software and are limited to 2D analysis and only a few parameters. The widely used manual analysis approaches are time consuming, user-biased, and difficult to compare. Here, we present CiliaQ, a package of open-source, freely available, and easy-to-use ImageJ plugins. CiliaQ allows high-throughput analysis of 2D and 3D, static or time-lapse images from fluorescence microscopy of cilia in cell culture or tissues, and outputs a comprehensive list of parameters for ciliary morphology, length, bending, orientation, and fluorescence intensity, making it broadly applicable. We envision CiliaQ as a resource and platform for reproducible and comprehensive analysis of ciliary function in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Niklas Hansen
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Rassmann
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Birthe Stüven
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Nathalie Jurisch-Yaksi
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, The Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience and Centre for Neural Computation, The Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Dagmar Wachten
- Institute of Innate Immunity, Biophysical Imaging, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, 53127, Bonn, Germany.
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18
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Corkidi G, Hernández-Herrera P, Montoya F, Gadêlha H, Darszon A. Long-term segmentation-free assessment of head-flagellum movement and intracellular calcium in swimming human sperm. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:jcs.250654. [PMID: 33431515 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.250654] [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: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Human spermatozoa are the archetype of long-term self-organizing transport in nature and are critical for reproductive success. They utilize coordinated head and flagellar movements to swim long distances within the female reproductive tract in order to find and fertilize the egg. However, to date, long-term analysis of the sperm head-flagellar movements, or indeed those of other flagellated microorganisms, remains elusive due to limitations in microscopy and flagellar-tracking techniques. Here, we present a novel methodology based on local orientation and isotropy of bio-images to obtain long-term kinematic and physiological parameters of individual free-swimming spermatozoa without requiring image segmentation (thresholding). This computer-assisted segmentation-free method evaluates, for the first time, characteristics of the head movement and flagellar beating for up to 9.2 min. We demonstrate its powerful use by showing how releasing Ca2+ from internal stores significantly alters long-term sperm behavior. The method allows for straightforward generalization to other bio-imaging applications, such as studies of bull sperm and Trypanosoma, or indeed of other flagellated microorganisms - appealing to communities other than those investigating sperm biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Corkidi
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Departamento de Ingenería Celular y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, 62210 Cuernavaca, México
| | - Paul Hernández-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Departamento de Ingenería Celular y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, 62210 Cuernavaca, México
| | - Fernando Montoya
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Departamento de Ingenería Celular y Biocatálisis, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, 62210 Cuernavaca, México
| | - Hermes Gadêlha
- Department of Engineering Mathematics & Bristol Robotics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1QU, UK
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, UNAM, 62210 Cuernavaca, México
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19
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Yániz J, Alquézar-Baeta C, Yagüe-Martínez J, Alastruey-Benedé J, Palacín I, Boryshpolets S, Kholodnyy V, Gadêlha H, Pérez-Pe R. Expanding the Limits of Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis through the Development of Open Software. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:E207. [PMID: 32764457 PMCID: PMC7464510 DOI: 10.3390/biology9080207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) systems can reduce errors occurring in manual analysis. However, commercial CASA systems are frequently not applicable at the forefront of challenging research endeavors. The development of open source software may offer important solutions for researchers working in related areas. Here, we present an example of this, with the development of three new modules for the OpenCASA software (hosted at Github). The first is the Chemotactic Sperm Accumulation Module, a powerful tool for studying sperm chemotactic behavior, analyzing the sperm accumulation in the direct vicinity of the stimuli. This module was validated by comparing fish sperm accumulation, with or without the influence of an attractant. The analysis clearly indicated cell accumulation in the treatment group, while the distribution of sperm was random in the control group. The second is the Sperm Functionality Module, based on the ability to recognize five sperm subpopulations according to their fluorescence patterns associated with the plasma membrane and acrosomal status. The last module is the Sperm Concentration Module, which expands the utilities of OpenCASA. These last two modules were validated, using bull sperm, by comparing them with visual counting by an observer. A high level of correlation was achieved in almost all the data, and a good agreement between both methods was obtained. With these newly developed modules, OpenCASA is consolidated as a powerful free and open-source tool that allows different aspects of sperm quality to be evaluated, with many potential applications for researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Yániz
- BIOFITER Research Group, Higher Polytechnic School of Huesca, Institute of Environmental Sciences of Aragón (IUCA), University of Zaragoza, Ctra. Cuarte s/n, 22071 Huesca, Spain; (J.Y.); (I.P.)
| | - Carlos Alquézar-Baeta
- Department of Mathematics, Institute of Mathematics and Applications (IUMA), University of Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain;
| | - Jorge Yagüe-Martínez
- Department of Computer Science and Systems Engineering (DIIS), Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), Universidad de Zaragoza, María de Luna 3, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain; (J.Y.-M.); (J.A.-B.)
| | - Jesús Alastruey-Benedé
- Department of Computer Science and Systems Engineering (DIIS), Aragón Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), Universidad de Zaragoza, María de Luna 3, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain; (J.Y.-M.); (J.A.-B.)
| | - Inmaculada Palacín
- BIOFITER Research Group, Higher Polytechnic School of Huesca, Institute of Environmental Sciences of Aragón (IUCA), University of Zaragoza, Ctra. Cuarte s/n, 22071 Huesca, Spain; (J.Y.); (I.P.)
| | - Sergii Boryshpolets
- Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic; (S.B.); (V.K.); (H.G.)
| | - Vitaliy Kholodnyy
- Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic; (S.B.); (V.K.); (H.G.)
| | - Hermes Gadêlha
- Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic; (S.B.); (V.K.); (H.G.)
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, 75 Woodland Rd, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK
| | - Rosaura Pérez-Pe
- BIOFITER Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Institute of Environmental Sciences of Aragón (IUCA), University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
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20
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Gadêlha H, Hernández-Herrera P, Montoya F, Darszon A, Corkidi G. Human sperm uses asymmetric and anisotropic flagellar controls to regulate swimming symmetry and cell steering. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaba5168. [PMID: 32789171 PMCID: PMC7399739 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba5168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Flagellar beating drives sperm through the female reproductive tract and is vital for reproduction. Flagellar waves are generated by thousands of asymmetric molecular components; yet, paradoxically, forward swimming arises via symmetric side-to-side flagellar movement. This led to the preponderance of symmetric flagellar control hypotheses. However, molecular asymmetries must still dictate the flagellum and be manifested in the beat. Here, we reconcile molecular and microscopic observations, reconnecting structure to function, by showing that human sperm uses asymmetric and anisotropic controls to swim. High-speed three-dimensional (3D) microscopy revealed two coactive transversal controls: An asymmetric traveling wave creates a one-sided stroke, and a pulsating standing wave rotates the sperm to move equally on all sides. Symmetry is thus achieved through asymmetry, creating the optical illusion of bilateral symmetry in 2D microscopy. This shows that the sperm flagellum is asymmetrically controlled and anisotropically regularized by fast-signal transduction. This enables the sperm to swim forward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hermes Gadêlha
- Department of Engineering Mathematics, University of Bristol, BS8 1UB Bristol, UK
| | - Paul Hernández-Herrera
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Fernando Montoya
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Alberto Darszon
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiología Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
| | - Gabriel Corkidi
- Laboratorio de Imágenes y Visión por Computadora, Departamento de Ingeniería Celular y Biocatálisis, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
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21
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Hook KA, Fisher HS. Methodological considerations for examining the relationship between sperm morphology and motility. Mol Reprod Dev 2020; 87:633-649. [PMID: 32415812 PMCID: PMC7329573 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Revised: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sperm cells of all taxa share a common goal to reach and fertilize an ovum, yet sperm are one of the most diverse cell types in nature. While the structural diversity of these cells is well recognized, the functional significance of variation in sperm design remains elusive. An important function of spermatozoa is a need to migrate toward the ova, often over long distances in a foreign environment, which may include a complex and hostile female reproductive tract. Several comparative and experimental studies have attempted to address the link between sperm morphology and motility, yet the conclusions drawn from these studies are often inconsistent, even within the same taxa. Much of what we know about the functional significance of sperm design in internally fertilizing species has been gleaned from in vitro studies, for which experimental parameters often vary among studies. We propose that discordant results from these studies are in part due to a lack of consistency of methods, conditions that do not replicate those of the female reproductive tract, and the overuse of simple linear measures of sperm shape. Within this review, we provide a toolkit for imaging, quantifying, and analyzing sperm morphology and movement patterns for in vitro studies and discuss emerging approaches. Results from studies linking morphology to motility enhance our understanding of the evolution of adaptive sperm traits and the mechanisms that regulate fertility, thus offering new insights into methods used in assisted reproductive technologies in animal science, conservation and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin A. Hook
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, U.S.A
| | - Heidi S. Fisher
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, U.S.A
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Schiffer C, Rieger S, Brenker C, Young S, Hamzeh H, Wachten D, Tüttelmann F, Röpke A, Kaupp UB, Wang T, Wagner A, Krallmann C, Kliesch S, Fallnich C, Strünker T. Rotational motion and rheotaxis of human sperm do not require functional CatSper channels and transmembrane Ca 2+ signaling. EMBO J 2020; 39:e102363. [PMID: 31957048 PMCID: PMC7024840 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019102363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Navigation of sperm in fluid flow, called rheotaxis, provides long‐range guidance in the mammalian oviduct. The rotation of sperm around their longitudinal axis (rolling) promotes rheotaxis. Whether sperm rolling and rheotaxis require calcium (Ca2+) influx via the sperm‐specific Ca2+ channel CatSper, or rather represent passive biomechanical and hydrodynamic processes, has remained controversial. Here, we study the swimming behavior of sperm from healthy donors and from infertile patients that lack functional CatSper channels, using dark‐field microscopy, optical tweezers, and microfluidics. We demonstrate that rolling and rheotaxis persist in CatSper‐deficient human sperm. Furthermore, human sperm undergo rolling and rheotaxis even when Ca2+ influx is prevented. Finally, we show that rolling and rheotaxis also persist in mouse sperm deficient in both CatSper and flagellar Ca2+‐signaling domains. Our results strongly support the concept that passive biomechanical and hydrodynamic processes enable sperm rolling and rheotaxis, rather than calcium signaling mediated by CatSper or other mechanisms controlling transmembrane Ca2+ flux.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Schiffer
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Steffen Rieger
- Optical Technologies Group, Institute of Applied Physics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Christoph Brenker
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Samuel Young
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Hussein Hamzeh
- Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Bonn, Germany
| | - Dagmar Wachten
- Minerva Max Planck Research Group, Molecular Physiology, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Bonn, Germany.,Institute of Innate Immunity, University Hospital, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Frank Tüttelmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Albrecht Röpke
- Institute of Human Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - U Benjamin Kaupp
- Molecular Sensory Systems, Center of Advanced European Studies and Research, Bonn, Germany
| | - Tao Wang
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Alice Wagner
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Claudia Krallmann
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Sabine Kliesch
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Carsten Fallnich
- Optical Technologies Group, Institute of Applied Physics, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC1003-CiM), Münster, Germany
| | - Timo Strünker
- Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Hospital Münster, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.,Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence (EXC1003-CiM), Münster, Germany
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