Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
3
pubmed:dateCreated
1998-4-30
pubmed:abstractText
A further account is given of motility in this 9 + 0 flagellum, where the axoneme is of special interest because it is powered by only inner dynein arms. Under some circumstances, normal motility is inactivated and yet the flagellum swims (or appears to glide) forward, albeit much more slowly. The propulsive thrust in these cases is due to a vibratile motion of the flagellum. Vibratile motion has a very small amplitude and is very rapid, but a frequency could not be determined stroboscopically. Provided that the sperm head is in place, a vibratile sperm can be stimulated mechanically such that it instantly resumes and continues normal motility. This indicates that a suprathreshold deformation of the axoneme triggers normal motility and that the threshold is normally continuously exceeded by a self-generated fluid-mechanical interaction in which the sperm head plays a necessary part. Without a sperm head, the flagellum propels itself by vibratile motion. Some vibratile sperm, found to be stuck by their heads, perform also a slow rotatory (clockwise) bending at the base of the flagellum. When this happens, there is no rotation of the axonemal substance. Therefore, this is interpreted as sequential, clockwise, self-perpetuating, circumferential activity around the arrays of inner dynein arms. The phenomenon is considered to be a restricted representation of the rapid clockwise (i.e., sinistral) helical wave of normal motility.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0886-1544
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
39
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
246-55
pubmed:dateRevised
2010-8-25
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1998
pubmed:articleTitle
Studies on the eel sperm flagellum. 3. Vibratile motility and rotatory bending.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, UK.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't