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1,491 results for “sperm”
Data from: Cryptic choice of conspecific sperm controlled by the impact of ovarian fluid on sperm swimming behaviour
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Data from: Polyandrous females provide sons with more competitive sperm: support for the sexy-sperm hypothesis in the rattlebox moth (Utetheisa ornatrix)
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Data from: Intra-ejaculate sperm selection in female zebra finches
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Data from: Male phenotypes in a female framework: evidence for degeneration in sperm produced by male snails from asexual lineages
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Density-dependent patterns of multivariate selection on sperm motility and morphology in a broadcast spawning mussel
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Sperm morphology and count vary with fine-scale changes in local density in a wild lizard population
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Spermatozoa Sperm Cell
Drawing uploaded to scidraw.io on: 22 May 2020
Spermatozoa Sperm Cell
Drawing uploaded to scidraw.io on: 22 May 2020
Numbers of sperm associated with the perivitelline layer of seabird (and other bird species) eggs
<p>Following copulation, females of many seabird species spend a prolonged period of time away from the colony, building up reserves for egg formation and incubation. Here, we report that the number of sperm associated with eggs of single-egg clutch seabirds was almost an order of magnitude greater than predicted from the relationship between ovum size and sperm numbers in multi-egg clutch non-seabirds. Sperm numbers were also several times greater than the estimated number necessary for maximal fertilisation success. Our results are consistent with three unusual features of seabird reproduction: (1) single egg clutches, (2) prolonged sperm storage, and (3) a lag period between the end of yolk formation and ovulation. We hypothesise that sperm release from storage is under precise temporal control in these species, with high sperm numbers acting as an insurance against infertility in single-egg clutches. If true, the lag period may have evolved to provide sufficient time for sperm to be released simultaneously from storage and accumulate at the site of fertilization prior to ovulation.</p>
Males adjust their manipulation of female remating in response to sperm competition risk
<p>To reduce the potential for sperm competition, male insects are thought to inhibit the post-mating reproductive behaviour of females through receptivity inhibiting compounds transferred in the ejaculate. Selection is expected to favour phenotypic plasticity in male post-copulatory expenditure, with males investing strategically in response to their perceived risk of sperm competition. However, the impact that socially cued strategic allocation might have on female post-mating behaviour has rarely been assessed. Here, we varied male perception of sperm competition risk, both prior to and during mating, to determine if a male's competitive environment impacts the extent to which he manipulates female remating behaviour. We found that female Australian field crickets<i> </i>(<i>Teleogryllus oceanicus</i>) mated to males that were reared under sperm competition risk emerged from a shelter in search of male song sooner than did females mated to males reared without risk, but only when mating occured in a risk free environment. We also found that females reared in a silent environment where potential mates were scarce displayed greater post-mating mate searching behaviour than females exposed to male calls during development. Collectively, our findings suggest complex interacting effects of male and female sociosexual environments on female post-mating sexual receptivity.</p>
Fig. 3 in Stereological analysis of the sperm number in the testicular follicles of the Australian field cricket (Insecta: Orthoptera)
Fig. 3: Stereological quantification of spermatozoa by using a combination of the Cavalieri principle and disector method. The reference frame (20 x 20 µm) plays an important role insofar as cells touching the fully drawn line are included in the counting procedure, whereas cells touching the dashed line are excluded.
Fig. 2 in Stereological analysis of the sperm number in the testicular follicles of the Australian field cricket (Insecta: Orthoptera)
Fig. 2: Detailed light-microscopic photograph of a testicular follicle with its different zones of sperm development (right margin). For sperm counting only the basal part of the transformation zone was used. Abbreviations: FO - follicle, SPC - spermatocytes, SPG - spermatogonia, SPT - spermatids, SPZ - spermatozoa.
Fig. 1 in Stereological analysis of the sperm number in the testicular follicles of the Australian field cricket (Insecta: Orthoptera)
Fig. 1: (a) Stereo-microscopic image of a median section through the male abdomen of the Australian field cricket with its main organic structures; (b) Light-microscopic image of the testicle with follicles representing the places of spermatogenesis. Abbreviations: AG - accessory glands, DP - dorsal pouch, FO - follicle, FT - fatty tissue, GIT - gastrointestinal tract, M - mould, ML - median lobe, MP - median pouch, MV - Malpighi vessels, R - rectum, TE - testicle, TR - trachea, TRL - tracheole, IXS - 9th segment.
Code and processed data accompanying "Widespread haploid-biased gene expression enables sperm-level natural selection"
<p>Code and processed data required to reproduce the analysis in "Widespread haploid-biased gene expression enables sperm-level natural selection".</p>
EVISAN – a dataset for multi-sperm detection and tracking algorithm development
<p><strong>P</strong><strong>urpose</strong><strong>:</strong> Automatic tracking and detection of motile cells in time-lapse mode during microscopy is an important requirement in many biological applications. Although significant developments have been made in cell tracking algorithms, current datasets are limited in size and diversity, especially for data-dependent generalized deep learning models. In this paper, we introduce a new and larger standard sperm tracking dataset with a useful framework for assessing motile cell tracking algorithms.</p> <p><strong>Acquisition and validation methods: </strong>Semen samples were used to obtain image datasets. The sequences of motile sperm data were acquired using a microscope. We recorded motile sperm from different donors under different magnification, to provide a suitable sperm pool and achieve a degree of image heterogeneity. Sperm images were manually annotated and checked by several biologists using semi-automatic software to generate the dataset.</p> <p><strong>Data format and usage notes: </strong>We present a new dataset, EVISAN – Expert Visual Sperm Annotation, comprising partially annotated sperm images from different donors at a varying magnification that is readily usable as training data for computer vision applications. With 6,000 images, our collection is an unparalleled heterogeneous dataset for deep learning sperm detection application development. All images are stored in XML and JPEG formats. We also provide a standard evaluation framework for the proposed dataset.</p> <p><strong>Potential applications: </strong>Our standard dataset is highly suitable for quantitatively evaluating state-of-the-art, multi-target tracking and detection algorithms. We also foresee the clinical application of these algorithms in assisted reproduction in humans, such as real-time computer-assisted sperm analysis.</p>
Data from: Random sperm use and genetic effects on worker caste fate in Atta colombica leaf-cutting ants
Sperm competition can produce fascinating adaptations with far-reaching evolutionary consequences. Social taxa make particularly interesting models, because the outcome of sexual selection determines the genetic composition of groups, with attendant sociobiological consequences. Here, we use molecular tools to uncover some of the mechanisms and consequences of sperm competition in the leaf-cutting ant Atta colombica, a species with extreme worker size polymorphism. Competitive PCR allowed quantification of the relative numbers of sperm stored by queens from different males, and offspring genotyping revealed how sperm number translated into paternity of eggs and adult workers. We demonstrate that fertilisation success is directly related to sperm numbers, that stored sperm are well mixed and that egg paternity is constant over time. Moreover, worker size was found to have a considerable genetic component, despite expectations that genetic effects on caste fate should be reduced in species with a low degree of polyandry. Our data suggest that sexual conflict over paternity is largely resolved by the lifetime commitment between mates generated by long-term sperm storage, and show that genetic variation for caste can persist in societies with comparatively high relatedness.
Data from: The effects of male social environment on sperm phenotype and genome integrity
Sperm function and quality are primary determinants of male reproductive performance and hence fitness. The presence of rival males has been shown to affect ejaculate and sperm traits in a wide range of taxa. However, male physiological conditions may not only affect sperm phenotypic traits but also their genetic and epigenetic signatures, affecting the fitness of the resulting offspring. We investigated the effects of male-male competition on sperm quality using TUNEL assays and geometric morphometrics in the zebrafish, Danio rerio. We found that the sperm produced by males exposed to high male-male competition had smaller heads but larger midpiece and flagellum than sperm produced by males under low competition. Head and flagella also appeared less sensitive to the osmotic stress induced by activation with water. In addition, more sperm showed signals of DNA damage in ejaculates of males under high competition. These findings suggest that the presence of a rival male may have positive effects on phenotypic traits but negative effects on DNA integrity. Overall, males facing the presence of rival males may produce faster swimming and more competitive sperm but this may come at a cost for the next generation.
Data from: Sperm competition games: a general model for pre-copulatory male-male competition
Reproductive males face a trade-off between expenditure on pre-copulatory male-male competition – increasing the number of females that they secure as mates – and sperm competition – increasing their fertilisation success with those females. Previous sperm allocation models have focused on scramble competition in which males compete by searching for mates and the number of matings rises linearly with pre-copulatory expenditure. However, recent studies have emphasised contest competition involving pre-copulatory expenditure on armaments, where winning contests may be highly dependent on marginal increases in relative armament level. Here we develop a general model of sperm allocation that allows us to examine the effect of all forms of pre-copulatory competition on sperm allocation patterns. The model predicts that sperm allocation decreases if either the 'mate-competition loading', a, or the number of males competing for each mating, M, increases. Other predictions remain unchanged from previous models: (i) expenditure per ejaculate should increase and then decrease, and (ii) total post-copulatory expenditure should increase, as the level of sperm competition increases. A negative correlation between a and M is biologically plausible, and may buffer deviations from the previous models. There is some support for our predictions from comparative analyses across dung beetle species and frog populations.
Data from: Artificial selection on walking distance suggests a mobility-sperm competitiveness trade-off
Securing matings is a key determinant of fitness and in many species males are the sex that engages in mate searching. Searching for mates is often associated with increased mobility. This elevated investment in movement is predicted to trade-off with sperm competitiveness, but few studies have directly tested whether this trade-off occurs. Here, we assessed whether artificial selection on mobility affected sperm competitiveness and mating behavior, and if increased mobility was due to increased leg length in red flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum). We found that in general, males selected for decreased mobility copulated for longer, stimulated females more during mating and tended to be better sperm competitors. Surprisingly, they also had longer legs. However, how well males performed in sperm competition depended on females. Males with reduced mobility always copulated for longer than males with high mobility, but this only translated into greater fertilization success in females from control populations and not the selection populations (treatment females). These results are consistent with a mate-searching/mating-duration trade-off and broadly support a trade-off between mobility and sperm competiveness.
Data from: Evolution of female multiple mating: a quantitative model of the "sexually-selected sperm" hypothesis
Explaining the evolution and maintenance of polyandry remains a key challenge in evolutionary ecology. One appealing explanation is the sexually-selected sperm (SSS) hypothesis, which proposes that polyandry evolves due to indirect selection stemming from positive genetic covariance with male fertilization efficiency, and hence with a male's success in post-copulatory competition for paternity. However, the SSS hypothesis relies on verbal analogy with 'sexy-son' models explaining co-evolution of female preferences for male displays, and explicit models that validate the basic SSS principle are surprisingly lacking. We developed analogous genetically-explicit individual-based models describing the SSS and 'sexy-son' processes. We show that the analogy between the two is only partly valid, such that the genetic correlation arising between polyandry and fertilization efficiency is generally smaller than that arising between preference and display, resulting in less reliable co-evolution. Importantly, indirect selection was too weak to cause polyandry to evolve in the presence of negative direct selection. Negatively-biased mutations on fertilization efficiency did not generally rescue runaway evolution of polyandry unless realized fertilization was highly skewed towards a single male, and co-evolution was even weaker given random mating-order effects on fertilization. Our models suggest that the SSS process is, on its own, unlikely to generally explain the evolution of polyandry.
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Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.