Abstract: | The sperm tail movement is a direct result
from contributions of fluid mechanics, elasticity, and molecular-motor
activity. Within the flagellum, the axonemal engine yields overall
mechanical response and, ultimately, motility. This chapter attempts to
provide a comprehensive and integrative overview of the relationship
between the mechanics, signaling of sperm propulsion, and the
physiological function of these cells in 3D. Sperm swimming, with its
intricate coupling between the regulations of the flagellar beating has
to ultimately fulfill its evolutionary function honed in their natural
environment, the open sea. The strategies that are being employed to
unravel this fascinating and fundamental process are revisited, where
the sliding of water bodies shape chemical landscapes sensed by sperms
during their journey, affecting motility patterns and directly
determining gamete encounter rates. |
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