3D printed spermathecae as experimental models to understand sperm dynamics in leaf beetles

BMC Zoology - Tập 5 Số 1 - 2020
Yuichi Matsumura1, Sinje Gürke1, Halvor T. Tramsen1, Stanislav N. Gorb1
1Department of Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 1–9, 24118, Kiel, Germany

Tóm tắt

AbstractBackgroundPostcopulatory mate choice occurs ubiquitously in the animal kingdom. However, it is usually a major challenge to visualise the process taking place in a body. This fact makes it difficult to understand the mechanisms of the process. By focusing on the shape of female sperm storage organs (spermathecae), we aimed to elucidate their functional morphology using six representative beetle species and to simulate sperm dynamics in artificial spermathecae with different structural features.ResultsMorphology and material gradients were studied using micro-computed tomography (μCT) and confocal laser scanning microscopy. This study shows a diversity of external and internal structures of the spermathecae among species. Despite the diversity, all species possess a common pumping region, which is composed of a sclerotised chamber, muscles and a resilin-enriched region. By focusing on the speciesAgelastica alni, whose spermatheca is relatively simple in shape with an internal protuberance, we simulated sperm dynamics by establishing a fabrication method to create enlarged, transparent, flexible and low-cost 3D models of biological structures based on μCT data. This experiment shows that the internal protuberance in the species functions as an efficient mixing device of stored sperm.ConclusionsThe observed spermathecal musculature implies that the sclerotised chamber of the spermatheca with muscles works as a pumping organ. Our fluid dynamics tests based on 3D printed spermathecae show that a tiny structural difference causes entirely different fluid dynamics in the spermatheca models. This result suggests that structural variations of the spermatheca strongly affect sperm dynamics. However, fluid dynamics tests still require essential measurements including sperm viscosity and the velocity of pumping cycles of the spermatheca.

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BMC Zoology

Tập 5 Số 1

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