A mathematical approach to puzzles of spermatozoa: Hydrodynamics of sperm swimming in a channel with complex geometry
Project Gist
Exploring sperm swimming through a “mathematical” microscope
Keywords
Fluid mechanics, Sperm, Swimming, Mathematics
Background and Purpose
A sperm cell swims in fluid with a flagellum, a moving whip-like appendage. In a complex geometry such as an oviduct, a standard microscope could not easily capture detailed cell motions, which we explore through a ‘mathematical microscope’, with analyzing equations of fluid motion. A goal of this project is to establish a novel approach to biomedical sciences, though integrating laboratory experiments, image analyses, and mathematical and computational fluid mechanics.
Project Achievements
Extracting human sperm waveforms from high-speed microscopic images, we have successfully reconstructed the sperm swimming in a mathematical form. With computing a flow pattern around the cell, we have found a simple mathematical expression for a swimming sperm. Through this international project, a young researcher could acquire necessary skills for managing and organizing a research project as well as wider perspectives for interdisciplinary sciences.
Future Prospects
We further pursue theoretical and numerical analyses for laboratory experimental data, and explore mechanical aspects of fertilization. We expect that these studies could potentially contribute to some parts of infertility treatments.
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Principal Investigator
・ISHIMOTO Kenta
・The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research
・After receiving a Ph.D. from Kyoto University in 2015, K.I. joined The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University, as an assistant professor. He is concurrently a project assistant professor at Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences (RIMS), Kyoto University. His research is mainly on theoretical hydrodynamics of swimming cells with cilia and flagella.
http://academist-cf.com/journal/?p=4094
http://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ja/research/research_results/2016/170324_2.html