Journal Article

FZJ-2017-06876

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Human sperm steer with second harmics of the flagellar beat

Elgeti, J. (Corresponding author)FZJ* ; Saggiorato, G. ; Alvarez, L. (Corresponding author) ; Jikeli, J. F. ; Gompper, G.FZJ* ; Kaupp, B. U.

2017
Nature Publishing Group London

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/15888  doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01462-y

Abstract: Sperm are propelled by bending waves traveling along their flagellum. For steering in gradients of sensory cues, sperm adjust the flagellar waveform. Symmetric and asymmetric waveforms result in straight and curved swimming paths, respectively. Two mechanisms causing spatially asymmetric waveforms have been proposed: an average flagellar curvature and buckling. We image flagella of human sperm tethered with the head to a surface. The waveform is characterized by a fundamental beat frequency and its second harmonic. The superposition of harmonics breaks the beat symmetry temporally rather than spatially. As a result, sperm rotate around the tethering point. The rotation velocity is determined by the second-harmonic amplitude and phase. Stimulation with the female sex hormone progesterone enhances the second-harmonic contribution and, thereby, modulates sperm rotation. Higher beat frequency components exist in other flagellated cells; therefore, this steering mechanism might be widespread and could inspire the design of synthetic microswimmers.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Theorie der Weichen Materie und Biophysik (ICS-2)

Research Program(s):

1. 553 - Physical Basis of Diseases (POF3-553) (POF3-553)

Appears in the scientific report 2017

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