Human sperm uses asymmetric and anisotropic flagellar controls to regulate swimming symmetry and cell steering.

ABSTRACT: Flagellar beating drives sperm through the female reproductive tract and is vital for reproduction. Flagellar waves are generated by thousands of asymmetric molecular components; yet, paradoxically, forward swimming arises via symmetric side-to-side flagellar movement. This led to the preponderance of symmetric flagellar control hypotheses. However, molecular asymmetries must still dictate the flagellum and be manifested in the beat. Here, we reconcile molecular and microscopic observations, reconnecting structure to function, by showing that human sperm uses asymmetric and anisotropic controls to swim. High-speed three-dimensional (3D) microscopy revealed two coactive transversal controls: An asymmetric traveling wave creates a one-sided stroke, and a pulsating standing wave rotates the s

SUBMITTER: Gadelha H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7399739 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature