Studies on mechanosensing mechanisms in reproductive cells and embryonic developments applied with mechanical stimuli

为了阐明哺乳动物精子和胚胎对机械刺激的感知机制，本研究小组研制了模拟输卵管内机械刺激的微流控装置，并对机械刺激下的人类精子和小鼠胚胎进行了显微观察。施加10 dyn/cm2的流体剪切应力后，固定精子头细胞内钙浓度升高。此外，精子的运动方向受微流体中剪切应力分布的强烈影响。我们已经发现了对小鼠胚胎植入前胚胎发育有害剪切应力的阈值。

To elucidate sensing mechanisms to mechanical stimuli in mammalian sperm and embryo, our group developed microfluidic devices to mimic mechanical stimuli in the oviduct and exhibited microscopic observation of human sperm and mouse embryos which were mechanically stimulated. Intracellular calcium concentration in the fixed sperm head increased after applying fluid shear stress of 10 dyn/cm2. Furthermore, direction of the motile sperms is strongly affected by the shear stress distribution in the microfluids. We have found thresholds toward detrimental shear stress to mouse embryo for pre-implantation embryonic development.