Analysis of flagellar bending in hyperactivated hamster and mouse spermatozoa

Flagellar bending was analysed using photographs of hyperactivated hamster and mouse spermatozoa. The flagellar waveform consists of several bends; the centre of each bend was therefore located on the flagellum, and the angle of the bend measured. The direction of the bend was determined by using the asymmetry of hook-shaped head to assess the asymmetry of flagellar waveform. The bend that occurred in the same direction as the curve of head was defined as the reverse bend and the bend in the opposite direction as the principal bend. In hamster spermatozoa, flagellar bending was asymmetric to the direction of the reverse bend after incubation for 5 min. After incubation for 4 h the asymmetry had increased, as the angles of the reverse bends had increased in all regions of the flagellum but the principal bend had not. In mouse spermatozoa incubated for 5 min, flagellar bending was relatively symmetric. In the hyperactivated mouse spermatozoa incubated for 3 h, the angle of the principal bend increased in the distal region and those of the reverse bends increased in almost all regions of the flagellum. Since the increase in the reverse bend was relatively high, flagellar bending became asymmetric to the direction of the reverse bend as in hamster spermatozoa. These increases in asymmetry were also evident in the measurement of the total changes in angular direction between the proximal and distal end of flagella in both species. The increase in asymmetry could provide an explanation for the changes in the motility patterns seen in spermatozoa after the onset of hyperactivation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)