The computational sperm cell

L Alvarez, BM Friedrich, G Gompper, UB Kaupp - Trends in cell biology, 2014 - cell.com
Trends in cell biology, 2014cell.com
Sperm are guided to the egg by a gradient of chemical attractants–a process called
chemotaxis. The binding of the chemoattractant to receptors on the surface of the flagellum
triggers a cascade of signaling events that eventually lead to an influx of Ca 2+ ions. Based
on these Ca 2+ surges, which control the waveform of the flagellar beat, sperm adjust their
swimming path toward the egg. In past years, many components of chemotactic signaling
have been identified. Moreover, kinetic spectroscopy and imaging techniques unraveled the …
Sperm are guided to the egg by a gradient of chemical attractants – a process called chemotaxis. The binding of the chemoattractant to receptors on the surface of the flagellum triggers a cascade of signaling events that eventually lead to an influx of Ca2+ ions. Based on these Ca2+ surges, which control the waveform of the flagellar beat, sperm adjust their swimming path toward the egg. In past years, many components of chemotactic signaling have been identified. Moreover, kinetic spectroscopy and imaging techniques unraveled the sequence of cellular events controlling swimming behavior. During navigation in a chemical gradient, sperm perform a surprising variety of computational operations. Here we discuss theoretical concepts of navigation strategies and the cellular underpinnings.
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