Flagellar Beating Forces of Human Spermatozoa with Different Motility Behaviors

Overview

Journal Reprod Biol Endocrinol

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Endocrinology
Reproductive Medicine

Date 2024 Mar 6

PMID 38448984

Authors

Cristina Tufoni

Alice Battistella

Stefania Luppi

Rita Boscolo

Giuseppe Ricci

Marco Lazzarino

Laura Andolfi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: One of the causes of male infertility is associated with altered spermatozoa motility. These sperm features are frequently analyzed by image-based approaches, which, despite allowing the acquisition of crucial parameters to assess sperm motility, they are unable to provide details regarding the flagellar beating forces, which have been neglected until now.

Results: In this work we exploit Fluidic Force Microscopy to investigate and quantify the forces associated with the flagellar beating frequencies of human spermatozoa. The analysis is performed on two groups divided according to the progressive motility of semen samples, as identified by standard clinical protocols. In the first group, 100% of the spermatozoa swim linearly (100% progressive motility), while, in the other, spermatozoa show both linear and circular motility (identified as 80 - 20% progressive motility). Significant differences in flagellar beating forces between spermatozoa from semen sample with different progressive motility are observed. Particularly, linear motile spermatozoa exhibit forces higher than those with a circular movement.

Conclusions: This research can increase our understanding of sperm motility and the role of mechanics in fertilization, which could help us unveil some of the causes of idiopathic male infertility.

Citing Articles

Enhancement of Semen Cryopreservation from Native Thai Bulls Through Leaf Extract Supplementation.

Authaida S, Boonkum W, Chankitisakul V Animals (Basel). 2025; 15(3).

PMID: 39943209 PMC: 11815745. DOI: 10.3390/ani15030439.

References

Green D . Mammalian sperm cannot penetrate the zona pellucida solely by force. Exp Cell Res. 1987; 169(1):31-8. DOI: 10.1016/0014-4827(87)90221-7. View

Dcunha R, Hussein R, Ananda H, Kumari S, Adiga S, Kannan N . Current Insights and Latest Updates in Sperm Motility and Associated Applications in Assisted Reproduction. Reprod Sci. 2020; 29(1):7-25. PMC: 7721202. DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00408-y. View

Puga Molina L, Luque G, Balestrini P, Marin-Briggiler C, Romarowski A, Buffone M . Molecular Basis of Human Sperm Capacitation. Front Cell Dev Biol. 2018; 6:72. PMC: 6078053. DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2018.00072. View

Amann R, Waberski D . Computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA): capabilities and potential developments. Theriogenology. 2013; 81(1):5-17.e1-3. DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2013.09.004. View

Gallagher M, Cupples G, Ooi E, Kirkman-Brown J, Smith D . Rapid sperm capture: high-throughput flagellar waveform analysis. Hum Reprod. 2019; 34(7):1173-1185. PMC: 6613345. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dez056. View

Wu S, Zhang Z, Zhou X, Liu H, Xue C, Zhao G . Nanomechanical sensors for direct and rapid characterization of sperm motility based on nanoscale vibrations. Nanoscale. 2017; 9(46):18258-18267. DOI: 10.1039/c7nr03688d. View

Dehullu J, Vorholt J, Lipke P, Dufrene Y . Fluidic Force Microscopy Captures Amyloid Bonds between Microbial Cells. Trends Microbiol. 2019; 27(9):728-730. DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.06.001. View

Andolfi L, Bourkoula E, Migliorini E, Palma A, Pucer A, Skrap M . Investigation of adhesion and mechanical properties of human glioma cells by single cell force spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. PLoS One. 2014; 9(11):e112582. PMC: 4229222. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112582. View

Martino F, Perestrelo A, Vinarsky V, Pagliari S, Forte G . Cellular Mechanotransduction: From Tension to Function. Front Physiol. 2018; 9:824. PMC: 6041413. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00824. View

10.

Hofherr L, Muller-Renno C, Ziegler C . FluidFM as a tool to study adhesion forces of bacteria - Optimization of parameters and comparison to conventional bacterial probe Scanning Force Spectroscopy. PLoS One. 2020; 15(7):e0227395. PMC: 7337302. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227395. View

11.

Hsiao W, Liao H, Lin H, Ding R, Huang K, Chang C . Motility measurement of a mouse sperm by atomic force microscopy. Anal Sci. 2013; 29(1):3-8. DOI: 10.2116/analsci.29.3. View

12.

Wang H, McGoldrick L, Chung J . Sperm ion channels and transporters in male fertility and infertility. Nat Rev Urol. 2020; 18(1):46-66. PMC: 7852504. DOI: 10.1038/s41585-020-00390-9. View

13.

Bracke A, Peeters K, Punjabi U, Hoogewijs D, Dewilde S . A search for molecular mechanisms underlying male idiopathic infertility. Reprod Biomed Online. 2018; 36(3):327-339. DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2017.12.005. View

14.

Andolfi L, Masiero E, Giolo E, Martinelli M, Luppi S, Dal Zilio S . Investigating the mechanical properties of zona pellucida of whole human oocytes by atomic force spectroscopy. Integr Biol (Camb). 2016; 8(8):886-93. DOI: 10.1039/c6ib00044d. View

15.

Mortimer S, Schevaert D, Swan M, Mortimer D . Quantitative observations of flagellar motility of capacitating human spermatozoa. Hum Reprod. 1997; 12(5):1006-12. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/12.5.1006. View

16.

Lim C, Bershadsky A, Sheetz M . Mechanobiology. J R Soc Interface. 2010; 7 Suppl 3:S291-3. PMC: 2943884. DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2010.0150.focus. View

17.

Battistella A, Andolfi L, Stebel M, Ciubotaru C, Lazzarino M . Investigation on the change of spermatozoa flagellar beating forces before and after capacitation. Biomater Adv. 2022; 145:213242. DOI: 10.1016/j.bioadv.2022.213242. View

18.

Gu N, Zhao W, Wang G, Sun F . Comparative analysis of mammalian sperm ultrastructure reveals relationships between sperm morphology, mitochondrial functions and motility. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2019; 17(1):66. PMC: 6696699. DOI: 10.1186/s12958-019-0510-y. View

19.

Moeendarbary E, Harris A . Cell mechanics: principles, practices, and prospects. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Syst Biol Med. 2014; 6(5):371-88. PMC: 4309479. DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1275. View

20.

Moritz M, Schmitz K, Lindemann C . Measurement of the force and torque produced in the calcium response of reactivated rat sperm flagella. Cell Motil Cytoskeleton. 2001; 49(1):33-40. DOI: 10.1002/cm.1018. View