Rotational motion and rheotaxis of human sperm do not require

ABSTRACT: Navigation of sperm in fluid flow, called rheotaxis, provides long-range guidance in the mammalian oviduct. The rotation of sperm around their longitudinal axis (rolling) promotes rheotaxis. Whether sperm rolling and rheotaxis require calcium (Ca2+) influx via the sperm-specific Ca2+ channel CatSper, or rather represent passive biomechanical and hydrodynamic processes, has remained controversial. Here, we here study the swimming behavior of sperm from healthy donors and from infertile patients that lack functional CatSper channels, using dark-field microscopy, optical tweezers, and microfluidics,. We demonstrate that rolling and rheotaxis persist in CatSper-deficient human sperm. Furthermore, human sperm undergo rolling and rheotaxis even when Ca2+ influx is prevented. Finally, we reveal t

SUBMITTER: Dr. Christian Schiffer 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-EMBOJ-2019-102363 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other