Sperm motility

About: Sperm motility is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 13874 publications have been published within this topic receiving 416587 citations. The topic is also known as: sperm movement & GO:0097722.

Spermatozoal transcriptome profiling for bull sperm motility: a potential tool to evaluate semen quality.

Abstract: Regarding bull fertility, establishing an association between in vitro findings and field fertility requires a multi-parametric approach that measures the integrity of various structures and dynamic functions, such as motion characteristics, among others. The heterogeneous RNA pattern of spermatozoa could be used in genomic analysis for evaluating both spermatogenesis and fertility potential of semen, mainly because of the static status of the transcriptome of this particular differentiated cell. In a previous study, we determined that some spermatozoal transcripts identified by PCR-based cDNA subtraction are associated with non-return rate, a field fertility index. In the present study, the microarray technology was used in conjunction with differential RNA transcript extraction. We have shown that among these genes, some transcripts are also associated with the motility status of a population of sperm cells fractionated from the same ejaculate. We highlighted a systematic data analysis and validation scheme important for the identification of significant transcripts in this context. With such an approach, we found that transcripts encoding a serine/threonine testis-specific protein kinase (TSSK6) and a metalloproteinase non coding RNA (ADAM5P) are associated with high-motility status (P<0.001), also confirmed by quantitative PCR (P=0.0075). This association was found only when transcripts were extracted using the hot-TRIzol protocol, whereas the cold-TRIzol RNA extract comprised mitochondrial transcripts. These results demonstrate that some transcripts previously identified in association with field fertility are also found associated with in vitro motility provided that a stringent RNA extraction protocol is used.

Characterization of sperm motility in sea bass: the effect of heavy metals and physicochemical variables on sperm motility

Abstract: Computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) was used to characterize the motility of sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax spermatozoa and to study the effect of several physicochemical variables and heavy metals on sperm swimming performance Duration of sperm motility in sea bass was very short (<50 s) During the first 20 s all the motility variables measured remained approximately constant, the velocity and linearity of the movement being maximum during this period, while both variables decreased sharply later While slight variations in pH did not significantly modify sperm swimming performance, changes in osmolality affected all the measured motility variables Two of the heavy metals tested, Cu

The Testis Anion Transporter 1 (Slc26a8) is required for sperm terminal differentiation and male fertility in the mouse

Abstract: The Slc26 family is a conserved family of anion transporters. In the human, their physiological relevance was highlighted with the discovery of pathogenic mutations in several Slc26 transporters that lead to distinctive clinical disorders (Pendred syndrome, deafness, diastrophic dysplasia, congenital chloride diarrhoea) that are related to the specific distribution of these genes. We previously identified TAT1 as a new family member (Slc26A8), very specifically expressed in male germ cells in both the human and the mouse. To investigate Tat1 function in the male germline, we generated mice with a targeted disruption of the Tat1 gene. Heterozygous and homozygous Tat1 mutant mice were indistinguishable from wild-type littermates concerning survival rate, general appearance and gross behaviour; however, Tat1 null males were sterile due to complete lack of sperm motility and reduced sperm fertilization potential. Ultra-structural analysis revealed defects in flagellar differentiation leading to an abnormal annulus, disorganization of the midpiece-principal piece junction, hairpin bending of the sperm tail with disruption of the axial structures, and abnormal mitochondrial sheath assembly. While ATP levels were normal, ATP consumption was strongly reduced in Tat1 null spermatozoa. Interestingly, Tat1 is located at the annulus, a septin-based circular structure connecting the midpiece to the principal piece. Altogether, our results indicate that Tat1 is a critical component of the sperm annulus that is essential for proper sperm tail differentiation and motility.

Potassium ion influx and Na+,K+-ATPase activity are required for the hamster sperm acrosome reaction.

Abstract: The role of a K+ ion influx and Na+,K+-ATPase activity in the hamster sperm acrosome reaction (AR) was examined, using a range of concentrations of K+,K+ ionophores and a Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor. Washed epididymal hamster sperm, capacitated in vitro in an artificial medium containing 2 mM Ca2+, 147 mM Na+, and 3, 6, 12, 18, or 24 mM K+, began undergoing the AR after 3 h of incubation. Sperm incubated in low K+ (0.9 mM) failed to undergo the AR even after 5 h of incubation. Sperm in 0.9 mM K+ could be induced to undergo the AR when either K+ (12 mM) alone or K+ (12 mM) with 0.1 microM nigericin was added after 3.5 h of incubation. The addition of K+ alone stimulated the AR in 30 min, whereas nigericin plus K+ stimulated the AR 15 min after addition. Neither nigericin added alone (0.9 mM K+) nor nigericin plus 12 mM K+ added to a low Ca2+ (0.35 mM) system resulted in acrosome reactions. Valinomycin (1 nM) did not stimulate the AR when added together with K+ (3-24 mM) to sperm incubated in 0.9 mM K+ for 3.5 h but markedly decreased sperm motility. Micromolar levels of ouabain blocked the AR when added between t = 0--3 h to sperm incubated with 3-24 mM K+. Inhibition of AR by the addition of 1 microM ouabain to sperm incubated with 3 mM K+ was completely reversed by the addition of 0.1 microM nigericin at t = 3.5 h. These results suggest that Na+,K+-ATPase activity and the resulting K+ influx are important for the mammalian sperm AR. Some similarities between requirements for the hamster sperm AR and secretory granule exocytosis are discussed.