Journal article : Review
Modelling motility: the mathematics of spermatozoa
- Abstract:
- In one of the first examples of how mechanics can inform axonemal mechanism, Machin's study in the 1950s highlighted that observations of sperm motility cannot be explained by molecular motors in the cell membrane, but would instead require motors distributed along the flagellum. Ever since, mechanics and hydrodynamics have been recognised as important in explaining the dynamics, regulation, and guidance of sperm. More recently, the digitisation of sperm videomicroscopy, coupled with numerous modelling and methodological advances, has been bringing forth a new era of scientific discovery in this field. In this review, we survey these advances before highlighting the opportunities that have been generated for both recent research and the development of further open questions, in terms of the detailed characterisation of the sperm flagellum beat and its mechanics, together with the associated impact on cell behaviour. In particular, diverse examples are explored within this theme, ranging from how collective behaviours emerge from individual cell responses, including how these responses are impacted by the local microenvironment, to the integration of separate advances in the fields of flagellar analysis and flagellar mechanics.
- Publication status:
- Published
- Peer review status:
- Peer reviewed
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(Preview, Version of record, pdf, 2.0MB, Terms of use)
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- Publisher copy:
- 10.3389/fcell.2021.710825
Authors
- Publisher:
- Frontiers Media
- Journal:
- Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology More from this journal
- Volume:
- 9
- Article number:
- 710825
- Publication date:
- 2021-07-20
- Acceptance date:
- 2021-06-25
- DOI:
- ISSN:
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2296-634X
- Language:
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English
- Keywords:
- Subtype:
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Review
- Pubs id:
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1184323
- Local pid:
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pubs:1184323
- Deposit date:
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2021-06-30
Terms of use
- Copyright holder:
- Gaffney et al
- Copyright date:
- 2021
- Rights statement:
- © 2021 Gaffney, Ishimoto and Walker. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
- Licence:
- CC Attribution (CC BY)
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