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Published on: February 6, 2018
Analysis of sperm motility using optical tweezers
Jaclyn M Nascimento1, Jaclyn L Nascimento, Elliot L Botvinick
1University of California, San Diego, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, La Jolla, California 92093-0407, USA.
Journal of Biomedical Optics
|September 13, 2006
Summary
Optical trapping quantifies sperm motility by measuring swimming forces. This method reveals sperm swimming forces are often uncorrelated with speed, offering valuable new insights for motility assessment.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Reproductive Biology
- Andrology
Background:
- Sperm motility is crucial for male fertility.
- Current methods for assessing sperm motility, such as the speed of progression (SOP) score, may not fully capture all aspects of sperm function.
- Optical trapping offers a potential new tool for precise biophysical measurements of sperm behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate optical trapping as a quantitative method for assessing sperm motility.
- To determine the effects of laser trap duration and power on sperm motility parameters.
- To explore the relationship between sperm swimming force, swimming speed, and SOP score.
Main Methods:
- Sperm with SOP scores of 2-4 were trapped using a continuous-wave 1064 nm laser trap.
- Trap duration effects were tested at 15, 10, and 5 seconds with 420 mW laser power.
- Laser power effects were assessed at 420, 350, 300, and 250 mW for 5 seconds.
- Swimming forces were measured by gradually decreasing laser power until sperm escaped.
- Swimming trajectories were analyzed using custom software, and SOP scores were assigned by expert evaluators.
Main Results:
- A subset of sperm was identified that exhibit high swimming forces independent of their swimming speed.
- Optimal trapping parameters (duration and power) were identified that minimally impact sperm motility.
- Quantitative data on sperm swimming force, speed, and SOP score relationships were established.
Conclusions:
- Optical trapping provides a novel and valuable quantitative measure of sperm motility.
- Sperm swimming force, measured via optical trapping, offers insights beyond traditional speed-based assessments.
- This technique has the potential to enhance the evaluation of male reproductive health.
