An Analysis of the Effects of Ca++ on Flagellar Waveform

Abstract

Flagellar axonemes can be exposed by demembranation following which waveforms can be examined by suspending these axonemes in an ATP containing buffer and observing their motility through clarkfield microscopy. Sperm demembranated in the presence of ca++ with the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 exhibit symmetrical waveforms upon reactivation and it was this phenomenon that was examined. Four factors, which affected symmetrization were identified and qualitatively characterized. These were the variables of sperm density, [Ca++], [Triton X-100], and the incubation period with respect to temperature. A fifth factor was examined - pH - however it had no effect.