Analysis of sperm chemotaxis

Ramírez-Gómez, Héctor Vicente; Tuval, Idán; Guerrero, Adán; Darszon, Alberto

doi:10.1016/bs.mcb.2018.12.002

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…The results indicated that the movements were mainly induced by the tails. In other aquatic animals, for example, ascidians and sea urchins, although the head parts are not as large as those in tardigrades, the swimming of the spermatozoa is induced by tail movement [21]. The tails, called agella, are formed by axonemes, and the con guration is widely conserved [22].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological differences in tardigrade spermatozoa induce variation in gamete motility

Sugiura¹,

Shiba²,

Inaba³

et al. 2022

BMC Zool

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Background Fertilization is an event at the beginning of ontogeny. Successful fertilization depends on strategies for uniting female and male gametes that developed throughout evolutionary history. In some species of tardigrades, investigations of reproduction have revealed that released spermatozoa swim in the water to reach a female, after which the gametes are stored in her body. The morphology of the spermatozoa includes a coiled nucleus and a species-specific-length acrosome. Although the mating behaviour and morphology of tardigrades have been reported, the motility of male gametes remains unknown. Here, using a high-speed camera, we recorded the spermatozoon motilities of two tardigrades, Paramacrobiotus sp. and Macrobiotus shonaicus, which have longer and shorter spermatozoa, respectively. Results The movement of spermatozoa was faster in Paramacrobiotus sp. than in M. shonaicus, but the beat frequencies of the tails were equal, suggesting that the long tail improved acceleration. In both species, the head part consisting of a coiled nucleus and an acrosome did not swing, in contrast to the tail. The head part of Paramacrobiotus sp. spermatozoa swung harder during turning; in contrast, the tail of M. shonaicus moved more widely than the head. Finally, after mating, the spermatozoa that reached the female aggregated around the cloaca while waiting to enter her body in both tested species. Conclusions This study provides results for the first observations and analyses of individual spermatozoon motility in tardigrades. A comparison of the spermatozoon movements of the two tardigrades suggested that the motilities of the male gametes were affected by morphological differences, where the longer spermatozoa swam faster and the shorter ones showed more stable swimming. Swimming was mainly induced by tail movement, but the long head of Paramacrobiotus sp. spermatozoa might be especially important for turning. In addition, observations of mated female cloacae suggested that the head parts of the spermatozoa were required for aggregation around the cloaca of a mated female.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological differences in tardigrade spermatozoa induce variation in gamete motility

Sugiura¹,

Shiba²,

Inaba³

et al. 2022

BMC Zool

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“…Sperm chemotaxis is the well-investigated mechanism by which the sperm is guided toward the oocyte by gradients of chemoattractants secreted from the oocyte (4, 50). The classical methods are based on in vitro experiments with sperm in dishes, whereas in vivo experiments in mammals, where fertilization is internal within the reproductive organs, are scarce and limited to counting sperm accumulation (77). In view of the labyrinth-like structure of the fallopian ampulla, which accounts for a significant part of the fallo-pian tube and where fertilization occurs, it is more likely to assume that the hundreds of sperm that reach the oviduct are driven with the peristaltic flow in the complex labyrinth, with a good chance for at least one of them to meet the oocyte.…”

Section: Dynamics Of the Fallopian Tube (In Vivo In Vitro Models)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomechanics of Early Life in the Female Reproductive Tract

2020

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“…Most studies of ion physiology of sea urchin sperm have utilized S. purpuratus and a wealth of information exists. Ion channel activities of these sperm regulate: ATP levels, respiration, motility, chemotaxis to egg peptides and induction of the acrosome reaction (3,(5)(6)(7)(8)12,16,19,23,30). Summarizing the findings of these citations, when in the testis, or when stored as undiluted semen, sea urchin sperm have an internal pH (pHi) of 6.8-7.1, ATP concentrations are highest and the cells are nonmotile.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cold Storage and Cryopreservation Methods For Spermatozoa of the sea urchinLytechinus pictus

Vacquier,

Hamdoun

2023

Preprint

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Sea urchins have contributed greatly to knowledge of fertilization, embryogenesis and cell biology. However, until now, they have not been a genetic model organism because of the long generation times of commonly used species, and lack of tools for husbandry and genetic manipulation. We recently establishedLytechinus pictus, as a multigenerational sea urchin model, because of its relatively short generation time of 4-6 months and ease of laboratory culture. To take full advantage of this new multigenerational species, methods are needed to biobank and share mutantL. pictussperm. Here, we describe a new extender based on sperm ion physiology before spawning of sperm into seawater. This extender maintains sperm capable of fertilization for at least 5-10 weeks when stored at 0 °C. We use the extender, and the cryoprotectant dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), to cryopreserve sperm of bothL. pictus, and the widely used sea urchin,Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. The simple methods we describe work well for both species, achieving > 90% development and producing larvae that successfully undergo metamorphosis to juvenile sea urchins. Sperm of these two species can be frozen and thawed at least twice and still give rise to larvae that undergo metamorphosis.Main PointsSperm can maintain fertilizing capacityex vivofor 5-10 weeks when stored at 0°C.When freezing in liquid nitrogen no stepwise addition of cryoprotectant, or stepwise drop in temperature are required.A standard fertilization assay is presented to score cleavage stage sea urchin embryos produced by cryopreserved sperm.Sperm frozen and thawed more than once can produce larvae.

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Analysis of sperm chemotaxis

Cited by 10 publications

References 42 publications

Morphological differences in tardigrade spermatozoa induce variation in gamete motility

Morphological differences in tardigrade spermatozoa induce variation in gamete motility

Biomechanics of Early Life in the Female Reproductive Tract

Cold Storage and Cryopreservation Methods For Spermatozoa of the sea urchinLytechinus pictus

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