1
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Mofadel HA, Hussein HA, Abd-Elhafee HH, El-Sherry TM. Impact of various cryo-preservation steps on sperm rheotaxis and sperm kinematics in bull. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11403. [PMID: 38762581 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-61617-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Semen cryopreservation is an important tool that has massively contributed to the progression of animal reproduction, especially in cattle. Nonetheless, a large part of the sperm population suffers from cryostress and loses fertility during the process. Although bovine semen cryopreservation is more advanced than any other species, there are still some missing links in the technology knowledge. The aim of the current study was to detect the effect of cryopreservation steps on sperm rheotaxis. Semen samples were collected from sex bulls and analyzed inside a microfluidic platform with CASA after each step of cryopreservation, including control, dilution with yolk citrate, cryoprotectant addition, and cooling or freezing. The results showed that positive rheotaxis % (PR) was not affected during cryopreservation. On the contrary, the sperm kinematics of the positive rheotactic sperm undergo significant changes, as velocity parameters (VCL, VSL, and VAP) were lower in both the cryoprotectant adding and cooling/freezing steps than in the control and yolk citrate dilution steps, while progression parameters (LIN and BCF) were higher in the cryoprotectant and cooling/freezing steps than in the control and yolk citrate dilution steps. Beside these results, an interesting phenomenon of sperm backward positive rheotaxis has been observed. The results of backward sperm rheotaxis samples revealed a significant decrease in PR%, while all sperm kinematics except BCF were significantly higher than normal rheotaxis samples. Based on these results, we conclude that positive rheotactic sperm cells are the elite of the sperm population; however, they still get some sublethal cryodamage, as shown by alterations in sperm kinematics. We also suggest that the sperm-positive rheotaxis mechanism is a mixture of an active and passive process rather than a passive physical one.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haitham A Mofadel
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt
| | - Hassan A Hussein
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt
| | - Hanan H Abd-Elhafee
- Department of Cell and Tissues, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt.
| | - Taymour M El-Sherry
- Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt.
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2
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Bouloorchi Tabalvandani M, Javadizadeh S, Badieirostami M. Bio-inspired progressive motile sperm separation using joint rheotaxis and boundary-following behavior. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:1636-1647. [PMID: 38284817 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00893b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Infertility, as a daunting ever-increasing challenge, poses a worldwide issue to both couples and the healthcare sector. According to the World Health Organization, half of infertility cases are attributed to male factor infertility, either partly or completely. Semen parameters of concern including sperm count, morphology, and motility are deemed to play a vital role in the insemination process. Density gradient centrifugation, being a clinically established procedure for improving on the mentioned parameters, has long been proven to inflict damage on the DNA content of the sperm cells, inducing DNA fragmentation. Herein, a bio-inspired microfluidic device is proposed that capitalizes on the geometry of the uterotubal junction (UTJ) of the female reproductive tract, which can act as a rheological barrier. The device leverages sperm rheotaxis and boundary-following behavior which have been considered as major migratory mechanisms used by sperm during the fertilization process in the female body. The device consists of a series of parallel channels that guide progressive motile sperms into the main sorting channel, where the hydrodynamic barriers created by two consecutive UTJ-like constrictions select sperms based on their propulsive velocity and linearity of motion. The sequential sorting employed here allows for the fractionation of the sperm population into two subpopulations with varying degrees of motility. Both sorted populations showed a significant increase in straight line velocity, reaching 63.4 ± 14.4 μm s-1 and 74 ± 13.8 μm s-1 in the first and second pools, respectively from 35.2 ± 27.2 μm s-1 in raw semen. Additionally, sorted populations demonstrated over 30% reduction in DNA fragmentation index, an indication that the proposed device selects for undamaged sperms with high quality. Apart from the biological superiority of the sorted sperms, this device presents itself as an easy and clinically-applicable method for the separation of progressive motile sperms, while at the same time, benefiting from a straightforward procedure for sperm retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saeed Javadizadeh
- MEMS Lab, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Majid Badieirostami
- MEMS Lab, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
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3
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Miller DJ. Sperm in the Mammalian Female Reproductive Tract: Surfing Through the Tract to Try to Beat the Odds. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2024; 12:301-319. [PMID: 37906840 PMCID: PMC11149062 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-021022-040629] [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] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian sperm are deposited in the vagina or the cervix/uterus at coitus or at artificial insemination, and the fertilizing sperm move through the female reproductive tract to the ampulla of the oviduct, the site of fertilization. But the destination of most sperm is not the oviduct. Most sperm are carried by retrograde fluid flow to the vagina, are phagocytosed, and/or do not pass barriers on the pathway to the oviduct. The sperm that reach the site of fertilization are the exceptions and winners of one of the most stringent selection processes in nature. This review discusses the challenges sperm encounter and how the few sperm that reach the site of fertilization overcome them. The sperm that reach the goal must navigate viscoelastic fluid, swim vigorously and cooperatively along the walls of the female tract, avoid the innate immune system, and respond to potential cues to direct their movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Miller
- Department of Animal Sciences and Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA;
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4
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Yaghoobi M, Abdelhady A, Favakeh A, Xie P, Cheung S, Mokhtare A, Lee YL, Nguyen AV, Palermo G, Rosenwaks Z, Cheong SH, Abbaspourrad A. Faster sperm selected by rheotaxis leads to superior early embryonic development in vitro. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:210-223. [PMID: 37990939 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00737e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
To understand the impact of sperm speed as they swim against the flow on fertilization rates, we created conditions similar to the female reproductive tract (FRT) on a microfluidic platform for sperm selection. Selected sperm were evaluated based on early development of fertilized embryos. Bovine and human spermatozoa were selected at various fluid flow rates within the device. We found that the speed of bovine spermatozoa increases as the flow rate increases and that the amount of DNA fragmentation index is lowered by increasing the flow rate. Bovine spermatozoa selected by our platform at low (150 μL h-1, shear rate 3 s-1), medium (250 μL h-1, shear rate 5 s-1), and high flow rates (350 μL h-1, shear rate 7 s-1) were used for fertilization and compared to sperm sorted by centrifugation. The samples collected at the highest flow rate resulted in the formation of 23% more blastocysts compared to the control. While selecting for higher quality sperm by increasing the flow rate does result in lower sperm yield, quality improvement and yield may be balanced by better embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Yaghoobi
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA.
| | - Abdallah Abdelhady
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA
| | - Amirhossein Favakeh
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA.
| | - Philip Xie
- The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Stephanie Cheung
- The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Amir Mokhtare
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA.
| | - Yoke Lee Lee
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA
| | - Ann V Nguyen
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA.
| | - Gianpiero Palermo
- The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Zev Rosenwaks
- The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Soon Hon Cheong
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA
| | - Alireza Abbaspourrad
- Food Science Department, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Cornell University, Ithaca 14853, New York, USA.
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5
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Zhou T, Wan X, Huang DZ, Li Z, Peng Z, Anandkumar A, Brady JF, Sternberg PW, Daraio C. AI-aided geometric design of anti-infection catheters. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj1741. [PMID: 38170782 PMCID: PMC10776022 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj1741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Bacteria can swim upstream in a narrow tube and pose a clinical threat of urinary tract infection to patients implanted with catheters. Coatings and structured surfaces have been proposed to repel bacteria, but no such approach thoroughly addresses the contamination problem in catheters. Here, on the basis of the physical mechanism of upstream swimming, we propose a novel geometric design, optimized by an artificial intelligence model. Using Escherichia coli, we demonstrate the anti-infection mechanism in microfluidic experiments and evaluate the effectiveness of the design in three-dimensionally printed prototype catheters under clinical flow rates. Our catheter design shows that one to two orders of magnitude improved suppression of bacterial contamination at the upstream end, potentially prolonging the in-dwelling time for catheter use and reducing the overall risk of catheter-associated urinary tract infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingtao Zhou
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Xuan Wan
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Daniel Zhengyu Huang
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
- Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zongyi Li
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Zhiwei Peng
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Anima Anandkumar
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - John F. Brady
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Paul W. Sternberg
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Chiara Daraio
- Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
- Meta Platforms Inc., Reality Labs, 322 Airport Blvd., Burlingame, CA 94010, USA
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6
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Yazdan Parast F, Veeraragavan S, Gaikwad AS, Powar S, Prabhakar R, O'Bryan MK, Nosrati R. Viscous Loading Regulates the Flagellar Energetics of Human and Bull Sperm. SMALL METHODS 2023:e2300928. [PMID: 38135876 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The viscoelastic properties of the female reproductive tract influence sperm swimming behavior, but the exact role of these rheological changes in regulating sperm energetics remains unknown. Using high-speed dark-field microscopy, the flagellar dynamics of free-swimming sperm across a physiologically relevant range of viscosities is resolved. A transition from 3D to 2D slither swimming under an increased viscous loading is revealed, in the absence of any geometrical or chemical stimuli. This transition is species-specific, aligning with viscosity variations within each species' reproductive tract. Despite substantial drag increase, 2D slithering sperm maintain a steady swimming speed across a wide viscosity range (20-250 and 75-1000 mPa s for bull and human sperm) by dissipating over sixfold more energy into the fluid without elevating metabolic activity, potentially by altering the mechanisms of dynein motor activity. This energy-efficient motility mode is ideally suited for the viscous environment of the female reproductive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farin Yazdan Parast
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Shibani Veeraragavan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Avinash S Gaikwad
- Institute of Reproductive Genetics, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany
- School of BioSciences and Bio21 Institute, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Sushant Powar
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Ranganathan Prabhakar
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Moira K O'Bryan
- School of BioSciences and Bio21 Institute, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Reza Nosrati
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
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7
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Shukla SK, Gaudriault P, Corbera A. Lab-on-chip (LoC) application for quality sperm selection: An undelivered promise? OPEN RESEARCH EUROPE 2023; 3:188. [PMID: 38645796 PMCID: PMC11031645 DOI: 10.12688/openreseurope.16671.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Quality sperm selection is essential to ensure the effectiveness of assisted reproductive techniques (ART). However, the methods employed for sperm selection in ART often yield suboptimal outcomes, contributing to lower success rates. In recent years, microfluidic devices have emerged as a promising avenue for investigating the natural swimming behavior of spermatozoa and developing innovative approaches for quality sperm selection. Despite their potential, the commercial translation of microfluidic-based technologies has remained limited. This comprehensive review aims to critically evaluate the inherent potential of lab-on-chip technology in unraveling sophisticated mechanisms encompassing rheotaxis, thermotaxis, and chemotaxis. By reviewing the current state-of-the-art associated with microfluidic engineering and the swimming of spermatozoa, the goal is to shed light on the multifaceted factors that have impeded the broader commercialization of these cutting-edge technologies and recommend a commercial that can surmount the prevailing constraints. Furthermore, this scholarly exploration seeks to enlighten and actively engage reproductive clinicians in the profound potential and implications of microfluidic methodologies within the context of human infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiva K Shukla
- Research and Development Unit, Beez Biotech SAS, RENNES, Ille-et-Villain, 35000, France
| | - Pierre Gaudriault
- Research and Development Unit, Cherry Biotech SAS, Paris, 93100, France
| | - Antoni Corbera
- Research and Development Unit, Cherry Biotech SAS, Paris, 93100, France
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8
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Nakane D. Rheotaxis in Mycoplasma gliding. Microbiol Immunol 2023; 67:389-395. [PMID: 37430383 DOI: 10.1111/1348-0421.13090] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
This review describes the upstream-directed movement in the small parasitic bacterium Mycoplasma. Many Mycoplasma species exhibit gliding motility, a form of biological motion over surfaces without the aid of general surface appendages such as flagella. The gliding motility is characterized by a constant unidirectional movement without changes in direction or backward motion. Unlike flagellated bacteria, Mycoplasma lacks the general chemotactic signaling system to control their moving direction. Therefore, the physiological role of directionless travel in Mycoplasma gliding remains unclear. Recently, high-precision measurements under an optical microscope have revealed that three species of Mycoplasma exhibited rheotaxis, that is, the direction of gliding motility is lead upstream by the water flow. This intriguing response appears to be optimized for the flow patterns encountered at host surfaces. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the morphology, behavior, and habitat of Mycoplasma gliding, and discusses the possibility that the rheotaxis is ubiquitous among them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Nakane
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, Tokyo, Japan
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9
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Zaferani M, Abbaspourrad A. Biphasic Chemokinesis of Mammalian Sperm. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 130:248401. [PMID: 37390449 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.130.248401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
The female reproductive tract (FRT) continuously modulates mammalian sperm motion by releasing various clues as sperm migrate toward the fertilization site. An existing gap in our understanding of sperm migration within the FRT is a quantitative picture of how sperm respond to and navigate the biochemical clues within the FRT. In this experimental study, we have found that in response to biochemical clues, mammalian sperm display two distinct chemokinetic behaviors which are dependent upon the rheological properties of the media: chiral, characterized by swimming in circles; and hyperactive, characterized by random reorientation events. We used minimal theoretical modeling, along with statistical characterization of the chiral and hyperactive trajectories, to show that the effective diffusivity of these motion phases decreases with increasing concentration of chemical stimulant. In the context of navigation this concentration dependent chemokinesis suggests that the chiral or hyperactive motion refines the sperm search area within different FRT functional regions. Further, the ability to switch between phases indicates that sperm may use various stochastic navigational strategies, such as run and tumble or intermittent search, within the fluctuating and spatially heterogeneous environment of the FRT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meisam Zaferani
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca 14850, New York, USA
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10
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Soto-Heras S, Sakkas D, Miller DJ. Sperm selection by the oviduct: perspectives for male fertility and assisted reproductive technologies†. Biol Reprod 2023; 108:538-552. [PMID: 36625382 PMCID: PMC10106845 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The contribution of sperm to embryogenesis is gaining attention with up to 50% of infertility cases being attributed to a paternal factor. The traditional methods used in assisted reproductive technologies for selecting and assessing sperm quality are mainly based on motility and viability parameters. However, other sperm characteristics, including deoxyribonucleic acid integrity, have major consequences for successful live birth. In natural reproduction, sperm navigate the male and female reproductive tract to reach and fertilize the egg. During transport, sperm encounter many obstacles that dramatically reduce the number arriving at the fertilization site. In humans, the number of sperm is reduced from tens of millions in the ejaculate to hundreds in the Fallopian tube (oviduct). Whether this sperm population has higher fertilization potential is not fully understood, but several studies in animals indicate that many defective sperm do not advance to the site of fertilization. Moreover, the oviduct plays a key role in fertility by modulating sperm transport, viability, and maturation, providing sperm that are ready to fertilize at the appropriate time. Here we present evidence of sperm selection by the oviduct with emphasis on the mechanisms of selection and the sperm characteristics selected. Considering the sperm parameters that are essential for healthy embryonic development, we discuss the use of novel in vitro sperm selection methods that mimic physiological conditions. We propose that insight gained from understanding how the oviduct selects sperm can be translated to assisted reproductive technologies to yield high fertilization, embryonic development, and pregnancy rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Soto-Heras
- Department of Animal Sciences and Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | | | - David J Miller
- Department of Animal Sciences and Institute of Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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11
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Nsamela A, Garcia Zintzun AI, Montenegro-Johnson TD, Simmchen J. Colloidal Active Matter Mimics the Behavior of Biological Microorganisms-An Overview. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2202685. [PMID: 35971193 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202202685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This article provides a review of the recent development of biomimicking behaviors in active colloids. While the behavior of biological microswimmers is undoubtedly influenced by physics, it is frequently guided and manipulated by active sensing processes. Understanding the respective influences of the surrounding environment can help to engineering the desired response also in artificial swimmers. More often than not, the achievement of biomimicking behavior requires the understanding of both biological and artificial microswimmers swimming mechanisms and the parameters inducing mechanosensory responses. The comparison of both classes of microswimmers provides with analogies in their dependence on fuels, interaction with boundaries and stimuli induced motion, or taxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Nsamela
- Chair of Physical Chemistry, TU Dresden, 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Elvesys SAS, 172 Rue de Charonne, Paris, 75011, France
| | | | | | - Juliane Simmchen
- Chair of Physical Chemistry, TU Dresden, 01069, Dresden, Germany
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12
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Shaik VA, Peng Z, Brady JF, Elfring GJ. Confined active matter in external fields. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:1384-1392. [PMID: 36723138 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01135b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
We analyze a dilute suspension of active particles confined between walls and subjected to fields that can modulate particle speed as well as orientation. Generally, the particle distribution is different in the bulk compared to near the walls. In the bulk, particles tend to accumulate in the regions of low speed, but in the presence of an orienting field normal to the walls, particles rotate to align with the field and accumulate in the field direction. At the walls, particles tend to accumulate pointing into the walls and thereby exert pressure on walls. But the presence of strong orienting fields can cause the particles to reorient away from the walls, and hence shows a possible mechanism for preventing contamination of surfaces. The pressure at the walls depends on the wall separation and the field strengths. This work demonstrates how multiple fields with different functionalities can be used to control active matter under confinement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaseem A Shaik
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Applied Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Zhiwei Peng
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, USA
| | - John F Brady
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, USA
| | - Gwynn J Elfring
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Applied Mathematics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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13
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Ji F, Wu Y, Pumera M, Zhang L. Collective Behaviors of Active Matter Learning from Natural Taxes Across Scales. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2203959. [PMID: 35986637 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202203959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Taxis orientation is common in microorganisms, and it provides feasible strategies to operate active colloids as small-scale robots. Collective taxes involve numerous units that collectively perform taxis motion, whereby the collective cooperation between individuals enables the group to perform efficiently, adaptively, and robustly. Hence, analyzing and designing collectives is crucial for developing and advancing microswarm toward practical or clinical applications. In this review, natural taxis behaviors are categorized and synthetic microrobotic collectives are discussed as bio-inspired realizations, aiming at closing the gap between taxis strategies of living creatures and those of functional active microswarms. As collective behaviors emerge within a group, the global taxis to external stimuli guides the group to conduct overall tasks, whereas the local taxis between individuals induces synchronization and global patterns. By encoding the local orientations and programming the global stimuli, various paradigms can be introduced for coordinating and controlling such collective microrobots, from the viewpoints of fundamental science and practical applications. Therefore, by discussing the key points and difficulties associated with collective taxes of different paradigms, this review potentially offers insights into mimicking natural collective behaviors and constructing intelligent microrobotic systems for on-demand control and preassigned tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengtong Ji
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Yilin Wu
- Department of Physics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Martin Pumera
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, VSB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 2172/15, Ostrava, 70800, Czech Republic
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Korea
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, 999077, China
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14
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Huang J, Chen H, Li N, Zhao Y. Emerging microfluidic technologies for sperm sorting. ENGINEERED REGENERATION 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.engreg.2023.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
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15
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Heydari A, Zabetian Targhi M, Halvaei I, Nosrati R. A novel microfluidic device with parallel channels for sperm separation using spermatozoa intrinsic behaviors. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1185. [PMID: 36681743 PMCID: PMC9867731 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28315-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Isolating high-quality motile sperm cells is considered to be the main prerequisite for a successful artificial pregnancy. Microfluidics has emerged as a promising platform capable of mimicking in-vivo environments to separate motile sperm cells and bypassing the need for the current invasive clinical sperm separation methods. In this study, the proposed microfluidic device exploits the parallelization concept through symmetry to increase both the processed sample volume and the injected flow rate compared with the previous conventional devices, which used rheotaxis as their primary method of sperm separation. Using the finite element method (FEM) and flow simulations, the trajectories of sperm cells exhibiting rheotaxis behavior were predicted inside the proposed device. Different flow rates, including 0, 0.5, 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6 μl/min, were experimentally injected into the device, and the effect of flow rate on the size of the hypothetical rheotaxis zone and the number of isolated sperm cells was investigated. Furthermore, it was illustrated that 100% of the isolated motile sperm cells are motile, and by manipulating the injected flow rate into the device, different classes of sperm cells in terms of motility parameters can be separated and utilized for further uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Heydari
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Iman Halvaei
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Nosrati
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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16
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Wang Z, Klingner A, Magdanz V, Hoppenreijs MW, Misra S, Khalil ISM. Flagellar Propulsion of Sperm Cells Against a Time-Periodic Interaction Force. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2200210. [PMID: 36266967 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Sperm cells undergo complex interactions with external environments, such as a solid-boundary, fluid flow, as well as other cells before arriving at the fertilization site. The interaction with the oviductal epithelium, as a site of sperm storage, is one type of cell-to-cell interaction that serves as a selection mechanism. Abnormal sperm cells with poor swimming performance, the major cause of male infertility, are filtered out by this selection mechanism. In this study, collinear bundles, consisting of two sperm cells, generate propulsive thrusts along opposite directions and allow to observe the influence of cell-to-cell interaction on flagellar wave-patterns. The developed elasto-hydrodynamic model demonstrates that steric and adhesive forces lead to highly symmetrical wave-pattern and reduce the bending amplitude of the propagating wave. It is measured that the free cells exhibit a mean flagellar curvature of 6.4 ± 3.5 rad mm-1 and a bending amplitude of 13.8 ± 2.8 rad mm-1 . After forming the collinear bundle, the mean flagellar curvature and bending amplitude are decreased to 1.8 ± 1.1 and 9.6 ± 1.4 rad mm-1 , respectively. This study presents consistent theoretical and experimental results important for understanding the adaptive behavior of sperm cells to the external time-periodic force encountered during sperm-egg interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihan Wang
- Surgical Robotics Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anke Klingner
- Department of Physics, The German University in Cairo, New Cairo, 13411, Egypt
| | - Veronika Magdanz
- Smart Nano-Bio-Devices Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- University of Waterloo, Systems Design Engineering, 200 University Avenue West Waterloo, Ontario N2L3G1, Canada
| | - Merijn W Hoppenreijs
- Surgical Robotics Laboratory, Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, 7522 NB, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Sarthak Misra
- Surgical Robotics Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Surgical Robotics Laboratory, Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, 7522 NB, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Islam S M Khalil
- Surgical Robotics Laboratory, Department of Biomechanical Engineering, University of Twente, 7522 NB, Enschede, The Netherlands
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17
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Liu T, Xie L, Price CAH, Liu J, He Q, Kong B. Controlled propulsion of micro/nanomotors: operational mechanisms, motion manipulation and potential biomedical applications. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:10083-10119. [PMID: 36416191 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00432a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Inspired by natural mobile microorganisms, researchers have developed micro/nanomotors (MNMs) that can autonomously move by transducing different kinds of energies into kinetic energy. The rapid development of MNMs has created tremendous opportunities for biomedical fields including diagnostics, therapeutics, and theranostics. Although the great progress has been made in MNM research, at a fundamental level, the accepted propulsion mechanisms are still a controversial matter. In practical applications such as precision nanomedicine, the precise control of the motion, including the speed and directionality, of MNMs is also important, which makes advanced motion manipulation desirable. Very recently, diverse MNMs with different propulsion strategies, morphologies, sizes, porosities and chemical structures have been fabricated and applied for various uses. Herein, we thoroughly summarize the physical principles behind propulsion strategies, as well as the recent advances in motion manipulation methods and relevant biomedical applications of these MNMs. The current challenges in MNM research are also discussed. We hope this review can provide a bird's eye overview of the MNM research and inspire researchers to create novel and more powerful MNMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi Liu
- Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Lab of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China. .,DICP-Surrey Joint Centre for Future Materials, Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK.
| | - Lei Xie
- Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Lab of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
| | - Cameron-Alexander Hurd Price
- DICP-Surrey Joint Centre for Future Materials, Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK.
| | - Jian Liu
- DICP-Surrey Joint Centre for Future Materials, Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH, UK. .,State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, Liaoning, China.,College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, 010021, PR China
| | - Qiang He
- Key Laboratory of Microsystems and Microstructures Manufacturing (Ministry of Education), Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
| | - Biao Kong
- Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Lab of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China. .,Yiwu Research Institute of Fudan University, Yiwu, Zhejiang 322000, China
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18
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β-Defensin 19/119 mediates sperm chemotaxis and is associated with idiopathic infertility. Cell Rep Med 2022; 3:100825. [PMID: 36513070 PMCID: PMC9797948 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100825] [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: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Sperm chemotaxis is required for guiding sperm toward the egg. However, the molecular identity of physiological chemoattractant and its involvement in infertility remain elusive. Here, we identify DEFB19/119 (mouse/human orthologs) as a physiological sperm chemoattractant. The epithelia of the female reproductive tract and the cumulus-oocyte complex secrete DEFB19/119 that elicits calcium mobilization via the CatSper channel and induces sperm chemotaxis in capacitated sperm. Manipulating the level of DEFB19 in mice determines the number of sperm arriving at the fertilization site. Importantly, we identify exon mutations in the DEFB119 gene in idiopathic infertile women with low level of DEFB119 in the follicular fluid. The level of DEFB119 correlates with the chemotactic potency of follicular fluid and predicts the infertile outcome with positive correlation. This study reveals the pivotal role of DEFB19/119 in sperm chemotaxis and demonstrates its potential application in the diagnosis of idiopathic infertility.
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19
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Tanasijević I, Lauga E. Microswimmers in vortices: dynamics and trapping. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:8931-8944. [PMID: 36408908 PMCID: PMC9727827 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00907b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biological and artificial microswimmers often self-propel in external flows of vortical nature; relevant examples include algae in small-scale ocean eddies, spermatozoa in uterine peristaltic flows and bacteria in microfluidic devices. A recent experiment has shown that swimming bacteria in model vortices are expelled from the vortex all the way to a well-defined depletion zone (A. Sokolov and I. S. Aranson, Rapid expulsion of microswimmers by a vortical flow. Nat. Commun., 2016, 7, 11114). In this paper, we propose a theoretical model to investigate the dynamics of elongated microswimmers in elementary vortices, namely active particles in two- and three-dimensional rotlets. A deterministic model first reveals the existence of bounded orbits near the centre of the vortex and unbounded orbits elsewhere. We further discover a conserved quantity of motion that allows us to map the phase space according to the type of the orbit (bounded vs unbounded). We next introduce translational and rotational noise into the system. Using a Fokker-Planck formalism, we quantify the quality of trapping near the centre of the vortex by examining the probability of escape and the mean time of escape from the region of deterministically bounded orbits. We finally show how to use these findings to formulate a prediction for the radius of the depletion zone, which compares favourably with the experiments (A. Sokolov and I. S. Aranson, Rapid expulsion of microswimmers by a vortical flow. Nat. Commun., 2016, 7, 11114).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Tanasijević
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK.
| | - Eric Lauga
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA, UK.
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20
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Sanchez-Rodriguez A, Sansegundo E, Tourmente M, Roldan ERS. Effect of High Viscosity on Energy Metabolism and Kinematics of Spermatozoa from Three Mouse Species Incubated under Capacitating Conditions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315247. [PMID: 36499575 PMCID: PMC9737050 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to sustain motility and prepare for fertilization, sperm require energy. The characterization of sperm ATP production and usage in mouse species revealed substantial differences in metabolic pathways that can be differentially affected by capacitation. Moreover, spermatozoa encounter different environments with varying viscoelastic properties in the female reproductive tract. Here, we examine whether viscosity affects sperm ATP levels and kinematics during capacitation in vitro. Sperm from three mouse species (Mus musculus, M. spretus, M. spicilegus) were incubated under capacitating conditions in a modified Tyrode's medium containing bicarbonate, glucose, pyruvate, lactate, and bovine serum albumin (mT-BH) or in a bicarbonate-free medium as a non-capacitating control. Viscosity was increased with the inclusion of polyvinylpyrrolidone. ATP was measured with a bioluminescence kit, and kinematics were examined with a computer-aided sperm analysis system. In M. musculus sperm, ATP declined during capacitation, but no differences were found between non-capacitating and capacitating sperm. In contrast, in M. spretus and M. spicilegus, ATP levels decreased in capacitating sperm. Increasing viscosity in the medium did not modify the timing or proportion of cells undergoing capacitation but did result in additional time- and concentration-dependent decreases in ATP in M. spretus and M. spicilegus under capacitating conditions. Additionally, increased viscosity altered both velocity and trajectory descriptors. The limited impact of capacitation and higher viscosity on M. musculus sperm ATP and kinematics could be related to the low intensity of postcopulatory sexual selection in this species. Responses seen in the other two species could be linked to the ability of their sperm to perform better under enhanced selective pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sanchez-Rodriguez
- Departmento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ester Sansegundo
- Departmento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Maximiliano Tourmente
- Departmento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (FCEFyN—UNC), Córdoba X5016GCA, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IIByT—CONICET, UNC), Córdoba X5016GCA, Argentina
| | - Eduardo R. S. Roldan
- Departmento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), 28006 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence:
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21
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Rajabasadi F, Moreno S, Fichna K, Aziz A, Appelhans D, Schmidt OG, Medina-Sánchez M. Multifunctional 4D-Printed Sperm-Hybrid Microcarriers for Assisted Reproduction. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2204257. [PMID: 36189842 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202204257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Remotely controllable microrobots are appealing for various biomedical in vivo applications. In particular, in recent years, our group has focused on developing sperm-microcarriers to assist sperm cells with motion deficiencies or low sperm count (two of the most prominent male infertility problems) to reach the oocyte toward in-vivo-assisted fertilization. Different sperm carriers, considering their motion in realistic media and confined environments, have been optimized. However, the already-reported sperm carriers have been mainly designed to transport single sperm cell, with limited functionality. Thus, to take a step forward, here, the development of a 4D-printed multifunctional microcarrier containing soft and smart materials is reported. These microcarriers can not only transport and deliver multiple motile sperm cells, but also release heparin and mediate local enzymatic reactions by hyaluronidase-loaded polymersomes (HYAL-Psomes). These multifunctional facets enable in situ sperm capacitation/hyperactivation, and the local degradation of the cumulus complex that surrounds the oocyte, both to facilitate the sperm-oocyte interaction for the ultimate goal of in vivo assisted fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Rajabasadi
- Micro- and NanoBiomedical Engineering Group (MNBE), Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW), 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Bioactive and Responsive Polymers, Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research, 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures, and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Silvia Moreno
- Bioactive and Responsive Polymers, Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Kristin Fichna
- Bioactive and Responsive Polymers, Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Azaam Aziz
- Micro- and NanoBiomedical Engineering Group (MNBE), Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW), 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Dietmar Appelhans
- Bioactive and Responsive Polymers, Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research, 01069, Dresden, Germany
| | - Oliver G Schmidt
- Micro- and NanoBiomedical Engineering Group (MNBE), Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW), 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Research Center for Materials, Architectures, and Integration of Nanomembranes (MAIN), Chemnitz University of Technology, 09126, Chemnitz, Germany
- Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW), 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Nanophysics, Faculty of Physics, School of Science, Dresden University of Technology, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Mariana Medina-Sánchez
- Micro- and NanoBiomedical Engineering Group (MNBE), Institute for Integrative Nanosciences, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW), 01069, Dresden, Germany
- Chair of Micro- and NanoSystems, Center for Molecular Bioengineering (B CUBE), Dresden University of Technology, 01062, Dresden, Germany
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22
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Sharp turns and gyrotaxis modulate surface accumulation of microorganisms. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2206738119. [PMID: 36219692 PMCID: PMC9586295 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2206738119] [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] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Populations of swimming microorganisms are ubiquitous in aqueous environments from blood vessels to oceans and from biofilms to biotechnological industries, where they routinely encounter solid boundaries. This paper explores experimentally how the presence of boundaries influences the behavior of a marine alga (Heterosigma akashiwo), whose normal trajectories exhibit both random sharp turns and gravitational reorientation (gyrotaxis). Proximity to a plane boundary strongly increases the probability of sharp turns and thereby influences the distributions of swimming speed, angular velocity and, unexpectedly, rotational diffusivity as functions of distance from the boundary and of swimming orientation. These variations all contribute to enhancing accumulation beneath an upper boundary much more than gyrotaxis alone. The accumulation of swimming microorganisms at surfaces is an essential feature of various physical, chemical, and biological processes in confined spaces. To date, this accumulation is mainly assumed to depend on the change of swimming speed and angular velocity caused by cell-wall contact and hydrodynamic interaction. Here, we measured the swimming trajectories of Heterosigma akashiwo (a biflagellate marine alga) near vertical and horizontal rigid boundaries. We observed that the probability of sharp turns is greatly increased near a vertical wall, resulting in significant changes in the distributions of average swimming speed, angular velocity, and rotational diffusivity near the wall (a quantity that has not previously been investigated) as functions of both distance from the wall and swimming orientation. These cannot be satisfactorily explained by standard hydrodynamic models. Detailed examination of an individual cell trajectory shows that wall contact by the leading flagellum triggers complex changes in the behavior of both flagella that cannot be incorporated in a mechanistic model. Our individual-based model for predicting cell concentration using the measured distributions of swimming speed, angular velocity, and rotational diffusivity agrees well with the experiment. The experiments and model are repeated for a cell suspension in a vertical plane, bounded above by a horizontal wall. The cell accumulation beneath the wall, expected from gyrotaxis, is considerably amplified by cell-wall interaction. These findings may shed light on the prediction and control of cell distribution mediated by gyrotaxis and cell-wall contact.
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23
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Phuyal S, Suarez SS, Tung CK. Biological benefits of collective swimming of sperm in a viscoelastic fluid. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:961623. [PMID: 36211471 PMCID: PMC9535079 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.961623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Collective swimming is evident in the sperm of several mammalian species. In bull (Bos taurus) sperm, high viscoelasticity of the surrounding fluid induces the sperm to form dynamic clusters. Sperm within the clusters swim closely together and align in the same direction, yet the clusters are dynamic because individual sperm swim into and out of them over time. As the fluid in part of the mammalian female reproductive tract contains mucus and, consequently, is highly viscoelastic, this mechanistic clustering likely happens in vivo. Nevertheless, it has been unclear whether clustering could provide any biological benefit. Here, using a microfluidic in vitro model with viscoelastic fluid, we found that the collective swimming of bull sperm in dynamic clusters provides specific biological benefits. In static viscoelastic fluid, clustering allowed sperm to swim in a more progressive manner. When the fluid was made to flow in the range of 2.43-4.05 1/sec shear rate, clustering enhanced the ability of sperm to swim upstream. We also found that the swimming characteristics of sperm in our viscoelastic fluid could not be fully explained by the hydrodynamic model that has been developed for sperm swimming in a low-viscosity, Newtonian fluid. Overall, we found that clustered sperm swam more oriented with each other in the absence of flow, were able to swim upstream under intermediate flows, and better withstood a strong flow than individual sperm. Our results indicate that the clustering of sperm can be beneficial to sperm migrating against an opposing flow of viscoelastic fluid within the female reproductive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiva Phuyal
- Department of Physics, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, United States
- Applied Science and Technology PhD Program, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, United States
| | - Susan S. Suarez
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Chih-Kuan Tung
- Department of Physics, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, United States
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24
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Frintrop L, Wiesehöfer C, Stoskus A, Hilken G, Dubicanac M, von Ostau NE, Rode S, Elgeti J, Dankert JT, Wennemuth G. cAMP and the Fibrous Sheath Protein CABYR (Ca2+-Binding Tyrosine-Phosphorylation-Regulated Protein) Is Required for 4D Sperm Movement. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810607. [PMID: 36142535 PMCID: PMC9502204 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A new life starts with successful fertilization whereby one sperm from a pool of millions fertilizes the oocyte. Sperm motility is one key factor for this selection process, which depends on a coordinated flagellar movement. The flagellar beat cycle is regulated by Ca2+ entry via CatSper, cAMP, Mg2+, ADP and ATP. This study characterizes the effects of these parameters for 4D sperm motility, especially for flagellar movement and the conserved clockwise (CW) path chirality of murine sperm. Therefore, we use detergent-extracted mouse sperm and digital holographic microscopy (DHM) to show that a balanced ratio of ATP to Mg2+ in addition with 18 µM cAMP and 1 mM ADP is necessary for controlled flagellar movement, induction of rolling along the long axis and CW path chirality. Rolling along the sperm’s long axis, a proposed mechanism for sperm selection, is absent in sea urchin sperm, lacking flagellar fibrous sheath (FS) and outer-dense fibers (ODFs). In sperm lacking CABYR, a Ca2+-binding tyrosine-phosphorylation regulated protein located in the FS, the swim path chirality is preserved. We conclude that specific concentrations of ATP, ADP, cAMP and Mg2+ as well as a functional CABYR play an important role for sperm motility especially for path chirality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Frintrop
- Institute of Anatomy, Rostock University Medical Center, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Caroline Wiesehöfer
- Institute of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, University Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Essen, Germany
| | - Aura Stoskus
- Institute of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, University Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Essen, Germany
| | - Gero Hilken
- Central Animal Laboratory, University Hospital Essen, 47057 Essen, Germany
| | - Marko Dubicanac
- Central Animal Laboratory, University Hospital Essen, 47057 Essen, Germany
| | | | - Sebastian Rode
- Theoretical Soft Matter and Biophysics, Institute of Complex Systems and Institute for Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Jens Elgeti
- Theoretical Soft Matter and Biophysics, Institute of Complex Systems and Institute for Advanced Simulation, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Jaroslaw Thomas Dankert
- Institute of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, University Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Essen, Germany
| | - Gunther Wennemuth
- Institute of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, University Duisburg-Essen, 47057 Essen, Germany
- Correspondence:
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25
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Label-Free Microfluidic Impedance Cytometry for Acrosome Integrity Assessment of Boar Spermatozoa. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:bios12090679. [PMID: 36140064 PMCID: PMC9496365 DOI: 10.3390/bios12090679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Microfluidics and lab-on-chip technologies have been used in a wide range of biomedical applications. They are known as versatile, rapid, and low-cost alternatives for expensive equipment and time-intensive processing. The veterinary industry and human fertility clinics could greatly benefit from label-free and standardized methods for semen analysis. We developed a tool to determine the acrosome integrity of spermatozoa using microfluidic impedance cytometry. Spermatozoa from boars were treated with the calcium ionophore A23187 to induce acrosome reaction. The magnitude, phase and opacity of individual treated and non-treated (control) spermatozoa were analyzed and compared to conventional staining for acrosome integrity. The results show that the opacity at 19 MHz over 0.5 MHz is associated with acrosome integrity with a cut-off threshold at 0.86 (sensitivity 98%, specificity 97%). In short, we have demonstrated that acrosome integrity can be determined using opacity, illustrating that microfluidic impedance cytometers have the potential to become a versatile and efficient alternative in semen analysis and for fertility treatments in the veterinary industry and human fertility clinics.
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26
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Xiao W, Yu M, Yuan Y, Liu X, Chen Y. Thermotaxis of mammalian sperm. Mol Hum Reprod 2022; 28:6650698. [PMID: 35894944 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaac027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm are guided through the female reproductive tract. A temperature difference of about 2 °C exists between the storage site and fertilization site of the mammalian oviduct, leading to the hypothesis that sperm can sense and swim towards the oocyte along a rising temperature gradient, known as thermotaxis. Research over the past two decades has reported that sperm feature a sophisticated thermal detection system to detect and track ambient temperature gradients. More recently, thermotaxis is expected to be added to the microfluidic isolation method based on sperm tactic responses for sperm selection. In this paper, mammalian sperm thermotaxis is discussed, explaining the underlying behavioral mechanisms and molecular basis, according to the latest research. Finally, this paper explores the possible application of sperm thermotaxis in assisted reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanglong Xiao
- Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, P. R. China
| | - Mengdi Yu
- Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, P. R. China
| | - Yan Yuan
- Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, P. R. China
| | - Xingzhu Liu
- Queen Mary College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, P. R. China
| | - Ying Chen
- Institute of Life Science and School of Life Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330031, P. R. China.,Key Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology and Pathology in Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, Jiangxi, P. R. China
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27
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Nakane D, Kabata Y, Nishizaka T. Cell shape controls rheotaxis in small parasitic bacteria. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010648. [PMID: 35834494 PMCID: PMC9282661 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycoplasmas, a group of small parasitic bacteria, adhere to and move across host cell surfaces. The role of motility across host cell surfaces in pathogenesis remains unclear. Here, we used optical microscopy to visualize rheotactic behavior in three phylogenetically distant species of Mycoplasma using a microfluidic chamber that enabled the application of precisely controlled fluid flow. We show that directional movements against fluid flow occur synchronously with the polarized cell orienting itself to be parallel against the direction of flow. Analysis of depolarized cells revealed that morphology itself functions as a sensor to recognize rheological properties that mimic those found on host-cell surfaces. These results demonstrate the vital role of cell morphology and motility in responding to mechanical forces encountered in the native environment. The small, parasitic bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae attaches to, and moves over, host cell surfaces. Adherence to host surfaces and motility are critical for the pathogenicity of M. pneumoniae. The role of motility by M. pneumoniae in vivo, however, is poorly understood. Host airways generate constant fluid flow toward the mouth as part of their defense against pathogens and irritants. Consequently, pulmonary invaders must counter the rheological forces found in host airways in order to successfully colonize the host. Here, we demonstrate that M. pneumoniae exhibits directional movement against fluid flow. These findings suggest there is a vital role for rheotactic motility that has evolved in order to overcome host defense mechanisms such as mucociliary clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Nakane
- Department of Engineering Science, Graduate School of Informatics and Engineering, The University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail: (DN); (TN)
| | - Yoshiki Kabata
- Department of Physics, Gakushuin University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Nishizaka
- Department of Physics, Gakushuin University, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail: (DN); (TN)
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28
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Aranson IS. Bacterial active matter. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2022; 85:076601. [PMID: 35605446 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6633/ac723d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria are among the oldest and most abundant species on Earth. Bacteria successfully colonize diverse habitats and play a significant role in the oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen cycles. They also form human and animal microbiota and may become sources of pathogens and a cause of many infectious diseases. Suspensions of motile bacteria constitute one of the most studied examples of active matter: a broad class of non-equilibrium systems converting energy from the environment (e.g., chemical energy of the nutrient) into mechanical motion. Concentrated bacterial suspensions, often termed active fluids, exhibit complex collective behavior, such as large-scale turbulent-like motion (so-called bacterial turbulence) and swarming. The activity of bacteria also affects the effective viscosity and diffusivity of the suspension. This work reports on the progress in bacterial active matter from the physics viewpoint. It covers the key experimental results, provides a critical assessment of major theoretical approaches, and addresses the effects of visco-elasticity, liquid crystallinity, and external confinement on collective behavior in bacterial suspensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor S Aranson
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, and Mathematics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, United States of America
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29
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Oscillatory rheotaxis of artificial swimmers in microchannels. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2952. [PMID: 35618708 PMCID: PMC9135748 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30611-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological microswimmers navigate upstream of an external flow with trajectories ranging from linear to spiralling and oscillatory. Such a rheotactic response primarily stems from the hydrodynamic interactions triggered by the complex shapes of the microswimmers, such as flagellar chirality. We show here that a self-propelling droplet exhibits oscillatory rheotaxis in a microchannel, despite its simple spherical geometry. Such behaviour has been previously unobserved in artificial swimmers. Comparing our experiments to a purely hydrodynamic theory model, we demonstrate that the oscillatory rheotaxis of the droplet is primarily governed by both the shear flow characteristics and the interaction of the finite-sized microswimmer with all four microchannel walls. The dynamics can be controlled by varying the external flow strength, even leading to the rheotactic trapping of the oscillating droplet. Our results provide a realistic understanding of the behaviour of active particles navigating in confined microflows relevant in many biotechnology applications.
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Separation of motile human sperms in a T-shaped sealed microchannel. Biomed Eng Lett 2022; 12:331-342. [PMID: 35892036 PMCID: PMC9308853 DOI: 10.1007/s13534-022-00229-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Microfluidic methods act as an effective motile sperm separation technique used in infertility treatments. This work presents a standalone microfluidic device to separate motile sperm cells from non-motile sperm cells and debris. The separation mechanism is based on the centrifugal force acting on sperms and the ability of progressive motile sperms to swim upstream. The separation of motile sperm is carried out using a simple T-shaped microchannel which constitutes three reservoirs: one inlet and two outlets. Herein, one of the outlets is kept sealed. The sealed channel leads to a high-velocity gradient and a rheotaxis zone at the T junction resulting in the separation of motile sperms. Separated sperms are isolated in a sealed channel with a low Reynolds number flow so that sperms cannot have a net displacement, which ensures that the sperms do not re-enter the fluid flow. CFD simulation is conducted to study the flow fields inside the channel and experimental investigation is carried to observe the separation behaviour of sperms. The reported device provides 100% sperm separation efficiency and ensures the entrapment of sperm cells for a longer period. A modified colorimetric nitroblue tetrazolium test conducted on separated sperm cells shows that there is only a marginal increase in superoxide (O2 -) production, proving normal sperm integrity. This device offers an effective and safe alternative to conventional sperm sorting methods. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13534-022-00229-9.
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Nassir M, Levi M, Dardikman-Yoffe G, Mirsky SK, Shaked NT. Prediction of Sperm Progression in Three Dimensions Using Rapid Optical Imaging and Dynamic Mechanical Modeling. Cells 2022; 11:cells11081319. [PMID: 35455999 PMCID: PMC9030059 DOI: 10.3390/cells11081319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We present a multidisciplinary approach for predicting how sperm cells with various morphologies swim in three-dimensions (3D), from milliseconds to much longer time scales at spatial resolutions of less than half a micron. We created the sperm 3D geometry and built a numerical mechanical model using the experimentally acquired dynamic 3D refractive-index profiles of sperm cells swimming in vitro as imaged by high-resolution optical diffraction tomography. By controlling parameters in the model, such as the size and shape of the sperm head and tail, we can then predict how different sperm cells, normal or abnormal, would swim in 3D, in the short or long term. We quantified various 3D structural factor effects on the sperm long-term motility. We found that some abnormal sperm cells swim faster than normal sperm cells, in contrast to the commonly used sperm selection assumption during in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to which sperm cells should mainly be chosen based on their progressive motion. We thus establish a new tool for sperm analysis and male-infertility diagnosis, as well as sperm selection criteria for fertility treatments.
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32
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Sharma S, Kabir MA, Asghar W. Selection of healthy sperm based on positive rheotaxis using a microfluidic device. Analyst 2022; 147:1589-1597. [PMID: 35293399 DOI: 10.1039/d1an02311j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
For conception, sperm cells travel towards the oocyte. This journey is accomplished by only a few sperm cells, following various guidance mechanisms. Of these mechanisms, rheotaxis plays a significant role in guiding the sperm over a long distance. By taking advantage of this natural rheotaxis behavior of sperm, we have developed a microfluidic chip that isolates healthy sperm cells. The developed chip consists of different chambers separated by microchannels that facilitate separation of motile sperm cells from unprocessed semen samples with the help of fluid flow. The sperm cells are subjected to different velocities in different parts of the chip that direct functional sperm towards the collection chamber utilizing positive rheotaxis. The results from the developed microfluidic chip (with 0.5 μL min-1 flow rate) have shown almost 100% motility, a significantly higher percentage of morphologically normal sperm cells with lesser sperm DNA fragmentation than the control (no-flow) and raw semen sample. This chip satisfies the need of a clinical setting as it is low-cost, easy to operate and uses a small semen volume for sperm sorting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandhya Sharma
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA. .,Asghar-Lab, Micro and Nanotechnology in Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Md Alamgir Kabir
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA. .,Asghar-Lab, Micro and Nanotechnology in Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
| | - Waseem Asghar
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA. .,Asghar-Lab, Micro and Nanotechnology in Medicine, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences (Courtesy Appointment), Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA
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33
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Kölle S. Sperm-oviduct interactions: Key factors for sperm survival and maintenance of sperm fertilizing capacity. Andrology 2022; 10:837-843. [PMID: 35340118 PMCID: PMC9321146 DOI: 10.1111/andr.13179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Background Although millions or even billions of sperm are deposited in the female genital tract, only very few sperm reach the oocyte, and only one single spermatozoon will successfully fertilize. During the journey of the sperm within the female genital tract, the interactions between spermatozoa and fallopian tube are critical for sperm selection, sperm survival, and maintenance of sperm fertilizing capacity. Results This review will provide a comprehensive overview of the latest findings regarding sperm transport and behavior of sperm within the oviduct, sperm selection in the oviduct, the formation of the sperm reservoir, and the release of sperm in the presence of the oocyte. It will primarily focus on recent novel insights on sperm‐oviduct interactions, which have been obtained by cutting‐edge technologies under in vivo or near in vivo conditions. Conclusions The comprehensive analysis of the findings to date will elucidate the complex molecular changes in the tubal epithelium, which are induced by the presence of the sperm and will highlight how the epithelial cells of this organ affect transport, behavior, and function of sperm. This knowledge is essential for scientists and clinicians involved in assisted reproductive technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Kölle
- School of Medicine, Health Sciences Centre, University College Dublin (UCD), Dublin, Ireland
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34
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Yanagimachi R. Mysteries and unsolved problems of mammalian fertilization and related topics. Biol Reprod 2022; 106:644-675. [PMID: 35292804 PMCID: PMC9040664 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian fertilization is a fascinating process that leads to the formation of a new individual. Eggs and sperm are complex cells that must meet at the appropriate time and position within the female reproductive tract for successful fertilization. I have been studying various aspects of mammalian fertilization over 60 years. In this review, I discuss many different aspects of mammalian fertilization, some of my laboratory's contribution to the field, and discuss enigmas and mysteries that remain to be solved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuzo Yanagimachi
- Institute for Biogenesis Research, University of Hawaii Medical School, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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35
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Powar S, Parast FY, Nandagiri A, Gaikwad AS, Potter DL, O'Bryan MK, Prabhakar R, Soria J, Nosrati R. Unraveling the Kinematics of Sperm Motion by Reconstructing the Flagellar Wave Motion in 3D. SMALL METHODS 2022; 6:e2101089. [PMID: 35138044 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202101089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sperm swim through the female reproductive tract by propagating a 3D flagellar wave that is self-regulatory in nature and driven by dynein motors. Traditional microscopy methods fail to capture the full dynamics of sperm flagellar activity as they only image and analyze sperm motility in 2D. Here, an automated platform to analyze sperm swimming behavior in 3D by using thin-lens approximation and high-speed dark field microscopy to reconstruct the flagellar waveform in 3D is presented. It is found that head-tethered mouse sperm exhibit a rolling beating behavior in 3D with the beating frequency of 6.2 Hz using spectral analysis. The flagellar waveform bends in 3D, particularly in the distal regions, but is only weakly nonplanar and ambidextrous in nature, with the local helicity along the flagellum fluctuating between clockwise and counterclockwise handedness. These findings suggest a nonpersistent flagellar helicity. This method provides new opportunities for the accurate measurement of the full motion of eukaryotic flagella and cilia which is essential for a biophysical understanding of their activation by dynein motors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushant Powar
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Farin Yazdan Parast
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Ashwin Nandagiri
- IITB-Monash Research Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, 400076, India
| | - Avinash S Gaikwad
- School of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - David L Potter
- Monash Micro-Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Moira K O'Bryan
- School of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Ranganathan Prabhakar
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Julio Soria
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
- Laboratory for Turbulence Research in Aerospace & Combustion (LTRAC), Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
| | - Reza Nosrati
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800, Australia
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36
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Khatri N, Burada PS. Diffusion of chiral active particles in a Poiseuille flow. Phys Rev E 2022; 105:024604. [PMID: 35291080 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.105.024604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
We study the diffusive behavior of chiral active (self-propelled) Brownian particles in a two-dimensional microchannel with a Poiseuille flow. Using numerical simulations, we show that the behavior of the transport coefficients of particles, for example, the average velocity v and the effective diffusion coefficient D_{eff}, strongly depends on flow strength u_{0}, translational diffusion constant D_{0}, rotational diffusion rate D_{θ}, and chirality of the active particles Ω. It is demonstrated that the particles can exhibit upstream drift, resulting in a negative v, for the optimal parameter values of u_{0}, D_{θ}, and Ω. Interestingly, the direction of v can be controlled by tuning these parameters. We observe that for some optimal values of u_{0} and Ω, the chiral particles aggregate near a channel wall and the corresponding D_{eff} are enhanced. However, for the nonchiral particles (Ω=0), D_{eff} is suppressed by the presence of Poiseuille flow. It is expected that these findings have a great potential for developing microfluidic and lab-on-a-chip devices for separating the active particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narender Khatri
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
| | - P S Burada
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, India
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37
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Lesani A, Ramazani Sarbandi I, Mousavi H, Kazemnejad S, Moghimi Zand M. Lower reactive oxygen species production and faster swimming speed of human sperm cells on nanodiamond spin-coated glass substrates. J Biomed Mater Res B Appl Biomater 2022; 110:1391-1399. [PMID: 35080336 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.b.35007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The sperm selection stage is what assisted reproductive technologies have in common and is crucial as it affects the success of the treatment cycle. The employment of microfluidic platforms for sperm selection has emerged showing promising results. In microfluidic platforms, sperm cells encounter micro-confined environments meanwhile having contact with channel walls and surfaces. Modification of contact surfaces using nanoparticles leads to the alteration of surface characteristics which in turn affects sperm behavior especially motility which is an indicator for sperm health. In this article, we present the results of investigating the motility parameters of sperm cells in contact with surface-modified glass substrates using nanodiamond particles. The results show that the sperm swimming velocities are significantly improved within the range of 12%-52% compared to the control surface (untreated). Reactive oxygen species production is also decreased by 14% justifying the increase in swimming speed. Taken together, bonding these modified surfaces to sperm selection microfluidic devices could enhance their efficiency and further improve their outcomes offering new solutions to patients facing infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Lesani
- Small Medical Devices, BioMEMS & LoC Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Iman Ramazani Sarbandi
- Small Medical Devices, BioMEMS & LoC Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hengameh Mousavi
- Faculty of Physics, Nano Science and Technology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran
| | - Somaieh Kazemnejad
- Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahdi Moghimi Zand
- Small Medical Devices, BioMEMS & LoC Lab, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
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38
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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.
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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
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39
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Ohmura T, Nishigami Y, Ichikawa M. Simple dynamics underlying the survival behaviors of ciliates. Biophys Physicobiol 2022; 19:e190026. [PMID: 36160323 PMCID: PMC9465405 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.bppb-v19.0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
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40
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Tiwary E, Hu M, Prasain JK. Sperm-Guiding Unconventional Prostaglandins in C. elegans: Synthesis and Signaling. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11120853. [PMID: 34940611 PMCID: PMC8705762 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11120853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Prostaglandins comprise a family of lipid signaling molecules derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids and are involved in a wide array of biological processes, including fertilization. Prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (a.k.a. cyclooxygenase or Cox) initiates prostaglandin synthesis from 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as arachidonic acid. Oocytes of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) have been shown to secrete sperm-guidance cues prostaglandins, independent of Cox enzymes. Both prostaglandin synthesis and signal transduction in C. elegans are environmentally modulated pathways that regulate sperm guidance to the fertilization site. Environmental factors such as food triggers insulin and TGF-β secretion and their levels regulate tissue-specific prostaglandin synthesis in C. elegans. This novel PG pathway is abundant in mouse and human ovarian follicular fluid, where their functions, mechanism of synthesis and pathways remain to be established. Given the importance of prostaglandins in reproductive processes, a better understanding of how diets and other environmental factors influence their synthesis and function may lead to new strategies towards improving fertility in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekta Tiwary
- Department of Medicines, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA;
| | - Muhan Hu
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA;
| | - Jeevan K. Prasain
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(205)-996-2612
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41
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Mammalian sperm hyperactivation regulates navigation via physical boundaries and promotes pseudo-chemotaxis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2107500118. [PMID: 34716265 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2107500118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian sperm migration within the complex and dynamic environment of the female reproductive tract toward the fertilization site requires navigational mechanisms, through which sperm respond to the tract environment and maintain the appropriate swimming behavior. In the oviduct (fallopian tube), sperm undergo a process called "hyperactivation," which involves switching from a nearly symmetrical, low-amplitude, and flagellar beating pattern to an asymmetrical, high-amplitude beating pattern that is required for fertilization in vivo. Here, exploring bovine sperm motion in high-aspect ratio microfluidic reservoirs as well as theoretical and computational modeling, we demonstrate that sperm hyperactivation, in response to pharmacological agonists, modulates sperm-sidewall interactions and thus navigation via physical boundaries. Prior to hyperactivation, sperm remained swimming along the sidewalls of the reservoirs; however, once hyperactivation caused the intrinsic curvature of sperm to exceed a critical value, swimming along the sidewalls was reduced. We further studied the effect of noise in the intrinsic curvature near the critical value and found that these nonthermal fluctuations yielded an interesting "Run-Stop" motion on the sidewall. Finally, we observed that hyperactivation produced a "pseudo-chemotaxis" behavior, in that sperm stayed longer within microfluidic chambers containing higher concentrations of hyperactivation agonists.
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42
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Ohmura T, Nishigami Y, Taniguchi A, Nonaka S, Ishikawa T, Ichikawa M. Near-wall rheotaxis of the ciliate Tetrahymena induced by the kinesthetic sensing of cilia. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabi5878. [PMID: 34669467 PMCID: PMC8528427 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abi5878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
To survive in harsh environments, single-celled microorganisms autonomously respond to external stimuli, such as light, heat, and flow. Here, we elucidate the flow response of Tetrahymena, a well-known single-celled freshwater microorganism. Tetrahymena moves upstream against an external flow via a behavior called rheotaxis. While micrometer-sized particles are swept away downstream in a viscous flow, what dynamics underlie the rheotaxis of the ciliate? Our experiments reveal that Tetrahymena slides along walls during upstream movement, which indicates that the cells receive rotational torque from shear flow to control cell orientation. To evaluate the effects of the shear torque and propelling speed, we perform a numerical simulation with a hydrodynamic model swimmer adopting cilia dynamics in a shear flow. The swimmer orientations converge to an upstream alignment, and the swimmer slides upstream along a boundary wall. The results suggest that Tetrahymena automatically responds to shear flow by performing rheotaxis using cilia-stalling mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuya Ohmura
- Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Marburg 35043, Germany
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel 4056, Switzerland
- Corresponding author. (T.O.); (Y.N.); (M.I.)
| | - Yukinori Nishigami
- Research Center of Mathematics for Social Creativity, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan
- Global Station for Soft Matter, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021, Japan
- Corresponding author. (T.O.); (Y.N.); (M.I.)
| | - Atsushi Taniguchi
- Laboratory for Spatiotemporal Regulations, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- Spatiotemporal Regulations Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Shigenori Nonaka
- Laboratory for Spatiotemporal Regulations, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
- Spatiotemporal Regulations Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Takuji Ishikawa
- Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba, Sendai 980-8579, Japan
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, Aoba, Sendai 980-8579, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Ichikawa
- Department of Physics, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
- Corresponding author. (T.O.); (Y.N.); (M.I.)
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Rheotaxis-based sperm separation using a biomimicry microfluidic device. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18327. [PMID: 34526568 PMCID: PMC8443654 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97602-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm selection is crucial to assisted reproduction, influencing the success rate of the treatment cycle and offspring health. However, in the current clinical sperm selection practices, bypassing almost all the natural selection barriers is a major concern. Here, we present a biomimicry microfluidic method, inspired by the anatomy of the female reproductive tract, that separates motile sperm based on their rheotaxis behavior to swim against the flow into low shear rate regions. The device includes micropocket geometries that recall the oval-shaped microstructures of the female fallopian tube to create shear protected zones for sperm separation. Clinical tests with human samples indicate that the device is capable of isolating viable and highly motile sperm based on their rheotaxis responses, resulting in a separation efficiency of 100%. The device presents an automated alternative for the current sperm selection practices in assisted reproduction.
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Zaferani M, Javi F, Mokhtare A, Li P, Abbaspourrad A. Rolling controls sperm navigation in response to the dynamic rheological properties of the environment. eLife 2021; 10:68693. [PMID: 34346314 PMCID: PMC8387022 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68693] [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: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian sperm rolling around their longitudinal axes is a long-observed component of motility, but its function in the fertilization process, and more specifically in sperm migration within the female reproductive tract, remains elusive. While investigating bovine sperm motion under simple shear flow and in a quiescent microfluidic reservoir and developing theoretical and computational models, we found that rolling regulates sperm navigation in response to the rheological properties of the sperm environment. In other words, rolling enables a sperm to swim progressively even if the flagellum beats asymmetrically. Therefore, a rolling sperm swims stably along the nearby walls (wall-dependent navigation) and efficiently upstream under an external fluid flow (rheotaxis). By contrast, an increase in ambient viscosity and viscoelasticity suppresses rolling, consequently, non-rolling sperm are less susceptible to nearby walls and external fluid flow and swim in two-dimensional diffusive circular paths (surface exploration). This surface exploration mode of swimming is caused by the intrinsic asymmetry in flagellar beating such that the curvature of a sperm's circular path is proportional to the level of asymmetry. We found that the suppression of rolling is reversible and occurs in sperm with lower asymmetry in their beating pattern at higher ambient viscosity and viscoelasticity. Consequently, the rolling component of motility may function as a regulatory tool allowing sperm to navigate according to the rheological properties of the functional region within the female reproductive tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meisam Zaferani
- Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Farhad Javi
- Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Amir Mokhtare
- Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Peilong Li
- Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
| | - Alireza Abbaspourrad
- Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, United States
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45
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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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46
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Raveshi MR, Abdul Halim MS, Agnihotri SN, O'Bryan MK, Neild A, Nosrati R. Curvature in the reproductive tract alters sperm-surface interactions. Nat Commun 2021; 12:3446. [PMID: 34103509 PMCID: PMC8187733 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23773-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The fallopian tube is lined with a highly complex folded epithelium surrounding a lumen that progressively narrows. To study the influence of this labyrinthine complexity on sperm behavior, we use droplet microfluidics to create soft curved interfaces over a range of curvatures corresponding to the in vivo environment. We reveal a dynamic response mechanism in sperm, switching from a progressive surface-aligned motility mode at low curvatures (larger droplets), to an aggressive surface-attacking mode at high curvatures (smaller droplets of <50 µm-radius). We show that sperm in the attacking mode swim ~33% slower, spend 1.66-fold longer at the interface and have a 66% lower beating amplitude than in the progressive mode. These findings demonstrate that surface curvature within the fallopian tube alters sperm motion from a faster surface aligned locomotion in distal regions to a prolonged physical contact with the epithelium near the site of fertilization, the latter being known to promote capacitation and fertilization competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Reza Raveshi
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Melati S Abdul Halim
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Sagar N Agnihotri
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- IITB-Monash Research Academy, IIT Bombay, Mumbai, India
| | - Moira K O'Bryan
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- School of BioSciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Adrian Neild
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Reza Nosrati
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
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47
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Wang P, Al Azad MAR, Yang X, Martelli PR, Cheung KY, Shi J, Shen Y. Self-adaptive and efficient propulsion of Ray sperms at different viscosities enabled by heterogeneous dual helixes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2024329118. [PMID: 34088836 PMCID: PMC8201849 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2024329118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We disclose a peculiar rotational propulsion mechanism of Ray sperms enabled by its unusual heterogeneous dual helixes with a rigid spiral head and a soft tail, named Heterogeneous Dual Helixes (HDH) model for short. Different from the conventional beating propulsion of sperm, the propulsion of Ray sperms is from both the rotational motion of the soft helical tail and the rigid spiral head. Such heterogeneous dual helical propulsion style provides the Ray sperm with high adaptability in viscous solutions along with advantages in linearity, straightness, and bidirectional motion. This HDH model is further corroborated by a miniature swimming robot actuated via a rigid spiral head and a soft tail, which demonstrates similar superiorities over conventional ones in terms of adaptability and efficiency under the same power input. Such findings expand our knowledge on microorganisms' motion, motivate further studies on natural fertilization, and inspire engineering designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panbing Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - M A R Al Azad
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiong Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Kam Yan Cheung
- Veterinary Department, Ocean Park Corporation, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jiahai Shi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
- Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shen Zhen, China
- Tung Biomedical Sciences Center, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yajing Shen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
- Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong, Shen Zhen, China
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48
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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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49
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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.
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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
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50
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Fazli Z, Naji A. Active particles with polar alignment in ring-shaped confinement. Phys Rev E 2021; 103:022601. [PMID: 33736018 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.103.022601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
We study steady-state properties of active, nonchiral and chiral Brownian particles with polar alignment and steric interactions confined within a ring-shaped confinement (annulus) in two dimensions. Exploring possible interplays between polar interparticle alignment, geometric confinement and the surface curvature, being incorporated here on minimal levels, we report a surface-population reversal effect, whereby active particles migrate from the outer concave boundary of the annulus to accumulate on its inner convex boundary. This contrasts the conventional picture, implying stronger accumulation of active particles on concave boundaries relative to the convex ones. The population reversal is caused by both particle alignment and surface curvature, disappearing when either of these factors is absent. We explore the ensuing consequences for the chirality-induced current and swim pressure of active particles and analyze possible roles of system parameters, such as the mean number density of particles and particle self-propulsion, chirality, and alignment strengths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Fazli
- School of Physics, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran 19395-5531, Iran
| | - Ali Naji
- School of Physics, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran 19395-5531, Iran.,School of Nano Science, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran 19395-5531, Iran
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