Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 120, Issue 3, Pages -Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2211911120
Keywords
spermatozoa bundle; collective locomotion; flagellar propulsion
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This study investigates the locomotion of spermatozoa during the transition from individual cells to bundles of two cells. The research reveals three consecutive dynamic behaviors: hydrodynamic attraction/repulsion, alignment, and synchronization. The findings provide insights into the formation of sperm bundles and the mechanisms behind the enhanced swimming efficiency of spermatozoa.
Various locomotion strategies employed by microorganisms are observed in complex bi-ological environments. Spermatozoa assemble into bundles to improve their swimming efficiency compared to individual cells. However, the dynamic mechanisms for the for-mation of sperm bundles have not been fully characterized. In this study, we numerically and experimentally investigate the locomotion of spermatozoa during the transition from individual cells to bundles of two cells. Three consecutive dynamic behaviors are found across the course of the transition: hydrodynamic attraction/repulsion, alignment, and synchronization. The hydrodynamic attraction/repulsion depends on the relative orientation and distance between spermatozoa as well as their flagellar wave patterns and phase shift. Once the heads are attached, we find a stable equilibrium of the rotational hydrodynamics resulting in the alignment of the heads. The synchronization results from the combined influence of hydrodynamic and mechanical cell-to-cell interactions. Additionally, we find that the flagellar beat is regulated by the interactions during the bundle formation, whereby spermatozoa can synchronize their beats to enhance their swimming velocity.
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