TY - JOUR
T1 - Mammalian sperm motility
T2 - Observation and theory
AU - Gaffney, E. A.
AU - Gadelha, Hermes
AU - Smith, D. J.
AU - Blake, J. R.
AU - Kirkman-Brown, J. C.
PY - 2011/1/21
Y1 - 2011/1/21
N2 - Mammalian spermatozoa motility is a subject of growing importance because of rising human infertility and the possibility of improving animal breeding. We highlight opportunities for fluid and continuum dynamics to provide novel insights concerning the mechanics of these specialized cells, especially during their remarkable journey to the egg. The biological structure of the motile sperm appendage, the flagellum, is described and placed in the context of the mechanics underlying the migration of mammalian sperm through the numerous environments of the female reproductive tract. This process demands certain specific changes to flagellar movement and motility for which further mechanical insight would be valuable, although this requires improved modeling capabilities, particularly to increase our understanding of sperm progression in vivo. We summarize current theoretical studies, highlighting the synergistic combination of imaging and theory in exploring sperm motility, and discuss the challenges for future observational and theoretical studies in understanding the underlying mechanics.
AB - Mammalian spermatozoa motility is a subject of growing importance because of rising human infertility and the possibility of improving animal breeding. We highlight opportunities for fluid and continuum dynamics to provide novel insights concerning the mechanics of these specialized cells, especially during their remarkable journey to the egg. The biological structure of the motile sperm appendage, the flagellum, is described and placed in the context of the mechanics underlying the migration of mammalian sperm through the numerous environments of the female reproductive tract. This process demands certain specific changes to flagellar movement and motility for which further mechanical insight would be valuable, although this requires improved modeling capabilities, particularly to increase our understanding of sperm progression in vivo. We summarize current theoretical studies, highlighting the synergistic combination of imaging and theory in exploring sperm motility, and discuss the challenges for future observational and theoretical studies in understanding the underlying mechanics.
KW - flagellum
KW - fluid-filament interactions
KW - microswimmer
KW - slender-body theory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79951990947&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1146/annurev-fluid-121108-145442
DO - 10.1146/annurev-fluid-121108-145442
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79951990947
VL - 43
SP - 501
EP - 528
JO - Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics
JF - Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics
SN - 0066-4189
ER -