Abstract
Previous laser light-scattering studies of spermatozoon motility have been hampered by the large, asymmetric shape of spermatozoa, which causes difficulties in the interpretation of intensity fluctuations in the light scattered from a single laser beam. This paper describes an experimental arrangement for measuring the distribution of transit times for swimming spermatozoa using two slightly separated, focused laser beams. The theory of operation of the instrument is developed to enable the analysis of the experimentally obtained cross-correlation functions. The effects of the pronounced spermatozoon asymmetry and associated intensity modulation in the scattered light are also investigated and shown to be negligible for the twin beam experimental arrangement, provided that the swimming speed distribution has a coefficient of variation (sigma/upsilon greater than 0.1. Results obtained using this apparatus are presented for the velocity distribution of spermatozoa from a variety of bulls.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Bergé P., Volochine B., Billard R., Hamelin A. Mise en évidence du mouvement propre de microorganismes vivants grâce à l'étude de la diffusion inélastique de la lumière. C R Acad Sci Hebd Seances Acad Sci D. 1967 Sep 18;265(12):889–892. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Craig T., Hallett F. R., Nickel B. Quasi-elastic light-scattering spectra of swimming spermatozoa. Rotational and translational effects. Biophys J. 1979 Dec;28(3):457–472. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(79)85193-0. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Harvey J. D., Woolford M. W. Laser light-scattering studies of bull spermatozoa. I. Orientational effects. Biophys J. 1980 Jul;31(1):147–156. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(80)85046-6. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- RIKMENSPOEL R., VAN HERPEN G. Photoelectric and cinematographic measurements of the motility of bull sperm cells. Phys Med Biol. 1957 Jul;2(1):54–63. doi: 10.1088/0031-9155/2/1/306. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- RIKMENSPOEL R., van HERPEN, EIJKHOUT P. Cinematographic observations of the movements of bull sperm cells. Phys Med Biol. 1960 Oct;5:167–181. doi: 10.1088/0031-9155/5/2/306. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]