Mechano-Turing patterning and self-organisation of the human sperm beating in 3D: observation and theory

弹性流体动力学方程在一系列近似下被用来描述人类精子鞭毛的动力学，这是生物学中不可伸展的细丝和无惯性流体之间相互作用的许多例子之一。最近的高速3D成像显示鞭毛的跳动是不对称的。以前的模型假设了对称的平面敲击，现在意识到这是一种2D显微镜的错觉，表现为精子在运动时的旋转。精子到达卵子并使其受精的能力取决于它通过粘稠的宫颈粘液移动的能力。对成功动作特征的进一步研究将有助于软物质人工游泳者的设计，并以我们的理解和潜力干预男性生育问题。这项研究的目的是通过将人类精子视为一个自组织的时空图灵模式，在反应动力学、扩散和机械力的共同作用下，在3D中准确地模拟人类精子的运动。在高阶反应扩散系统(描述超导体、水波和生化系统等中的自组织)的背景下，对这个问题的研究将具有广泛的吸引力。

Elastohydrodynamic equations have been applied under a hierarchy of approximations to describe the dynamics of the human sperm flagellum, one of many examples in biology of an interaction between inextensible filaments and inertialess fluids. Recent high-speed 3D imaging has shown the beating of the flagellum to be asymmetric. Previous models have assumed symmetrical planar beating, now realised to be an illusion of 2D microscopy manifested by the rotation of the sperm as it moves. The ability of the sperm to reach and fertilize the egg rests on its ability to move through the viscous cervical mucus. Further research into what characterises successful motion will contribute in the design of soft matter artificial swimmers, and with our understanding and potential to intervene in problems of male fertility. This research will aim to accurately model the motion of the human sperm in 3D by viewing it as a self-organised spatiotemporal Turing pattern, with reaction kinetics, diffusion, and mechanical forces all playing a role. Situated within the context of higher order reaction-diffusion systems (which describe self-organisation in superconductors, water waves and biochemical systems among others) research on this problem will have a wide appeal.