A new automated method of image analysis: comparison of ciliary and flagellar beats

A new automated method of image analysis of sperm flagellar (human) and cilia (Dunaliella) bends is developed. This method permits an automatic determination of the line characterizing the flagellum. Two dynamic parameters are measured: the wave propagation velocity and the wave curvature radius. The data reveal similar patterns in the propagation of the principal and reverse waves between flagelated and ciliated cells. Conversely, differences are seen in principal wave curvature due perhaps to the presence of periaxonemal structures in the flagellum, absent in cilium. The identical patterns of reverse wave curvaturei in both systems may be linked to axonemal limitations.     

Calcium-induced asymmetrical beating of triton-demembranated sea urchin sperm flagella

Asymmetrical bending waves can be obtained by reactivating demembranated sea urchin spermatozoa at high Ca2+ concentrations. Moving-film flash photography shows that asymmetrical flagellar bending waves are associated with premature termination of the growth of the bends in one direction (the reverse bends) while the bends in the opposite direction (the principal bends) grow for one full beat cycle, and with unequal rates of growth of principal and reverse bends. The relative proportions of these two components of asymmetry are highly variable. The increased angle in the principal bend is compensated by a decreased angle in the reverse bend, so that there is no change in mean bend angle; the wavelength and beat frequency are also independent of the degree of asymmetry. This new information is still insufficient to identify a particular mechanism for Ca2+-induced asymmetry. When a developing bend stops growing before initiation of growth of a new bend in the same direction, a modification of the sliding between tubules in the distal portion of the flagellum is required. This modification can be described as a superposition of synchronous sliding on the metachronous sliding associated with propagating bending waves. Synchronous sliding is particularly evident in highly asymmetrical flagella, but is probably not the cause of asymmetry. The control of metachronous sliding appears to be unaffected by the superposition of synchronous sliding.     

New evidence for a "biased baseline" mechanism for calcium-regulated asymmetry of flagellar bending

Time-averaged data covering six to ten beat cycles for ATP-reactivated spermatozoa of a sea urchin and Ciona, and from a uniflagellate mutant of Chlamydomonas, were analyzed to obtain parameters of oscillation and mean shear angle at each point along the flagellum. The mean shear angles usually show a sharp change near the base of the flagellum. This sharp basal change in angle is correlated with perceived asymmetry in the development times of principal and reverse bends when these bends are measured directly from the asymmetric bending patterns, without subtracting out the mean shear angle. The asymmetry in development times was previously considered to be evidence against a "biased baseline" mechanism for asymmetric bending waves, in which completely symmetric bending waves develop and propagate on a curved flagellum. Our analysis now shows that the asymmetry in development times can be fully explained by the presence of a sharp static bend near the base of the flagellum, which can confuse the determination of the times of initiation of new bends at the base of the flagellum. Our reinterpretation of these data removes previous objections to the "biased baseline" mechanism for the regulation of bending wave asymmetry by calcium, and supports other evidence favoring a biased baseline mechanism, rather than a "biased switching" mechanism.     

Three-dimensional motion of avian spermatozoa

Observations have been made on spermatozoa from the domestic fowl, quail and pigeon (non-passerine birds) and also from the starling and zebra finch (passerine birds). In free motion, all these spermatozoa roll (spin) continuously about the progression axis, whether or not they are close to a plane surface. Furthermore, the direction of roll is consistently clockwise (as seen from ahead). The flagellar wave has been shown to be helical and dextral (as predicted) for domestic fowl sperm when they swim rapidly in low viscosity salines. Calculations have shown that their forward velocity is consistent with their induced angular velocity but that the size of the sperm head is suboptimal for progression speed under these conditions. Dextrally helical waves also occur on the distal flagellum of fowl, quail and pigeon sperm in high viscosity solutions. But in other cases, the mechanism of torque-generation is more problematical. The problem is most profound for passerine sperm, in that typically these cells spin rapidly while seeming to remain virtually straight. Because there is no evidence for a helical wave on these flagella, we have considered other possible means whereby rotation about the local flagellar axis (self-spin) might be achieved. Sometimes, passerine sperm, while maintaining their spinning motion, adopt a fixed curvature; this must be an instance of bend-transfer circumferentially around the axonemal cylinder-though the mechanism is obscure. It is suggested that the self-spin phenomenon may be occurring in non-passerine sperm that in some circumstances spin persistently, yet without expressing regular helical waves. More complex waves are apparent in non-passerine sperm swimming in high viscosity solutions: added to the small scale bends is a large scale, sinistrally helical curvature of the flagellum. It is argued that the flagellum follows this sinistrally helical path (i.e. "screws" though the fluid) because of the shape of the sperm head and the angle at which the flagellum is inserted into it. These conclusions concerning avian sperm motility are thought to have relevance to other animal groups. Also reported are relevant aspects of flagellar ultrastructure for pigeon and starling sperm.     

Inner arm dynein 1 is essential for Ca++-dependent ciliary reversals in Tetrahymena thermophila

Cilia in many organisms undergo a phenomenon called ciliary reversal during which the cilia reverse the beat direction, and the cell swims backwards. Ciliary reversal is typically caused by a depolarizing stimulus that ultimately leads to a rise in intraciliary Ca++ levels. It is this increase in intraciliary Ca++ that triggers ciliary reversal. However, the mechanism by which an increase in intraciliary Ca++ causes ciliary reversal is not known. We have previously mutated the DYH6 gene of Tetrahymena thermophila by targeted gene knockout and shown that the knockout mutants (KO6 mutants) are missing inner arm dynein 1 (I1). In this study, we show that KO6 mutants do not swim backward in response to depolarizing stimuli. In addition to being unable to swim backwards, KO6 mutants swim forward at approximately one half the velocity of wild-type cells. However, the ciliary beat frequency in KO6 mutants is indistinguishable from that of wild-type cells, suggesting that the slow forward swimming of KO6 mutants is caused by an altered waveform rather than an altered beat frequency. Live KO6 cells are also able to increase and decrease their swim speeds in response to stimuli, suggesting that some aspects of their swim speed regulation mechanisms are intact. Detergent-permeabilized KO6 mutants fail to undergo Ca++-dependent ciliary reversals and do not show Ca++-dependent changes in swim speed after MgATP reactivation, indicating that the axonemal machinery required for these responses is insensitive to Ca++ in KO6 mutants. We conclude that Tetrahymena inner arm dynein 1 is not only an essential part of the Ca++-dependent ciliary reversal mechanism but it also may contribute to Ca++-dependent changes in swim speed and to the formation of normal waveform during forward swimming.     

Mechanism of Ca2+ wave propagation in pancreatic acinar cells.

An increase in cytosolic Ca2+ often begins as a Ca2+ wave, and this wave is thought to result from sequential activation of Ca(2+)-sensitive Ca2+ stores across the cell. We tested that hypothesis in pancreatic acinar cells, and since Ca2+ waves may regulate acinar Cl- secretion, we examined whether such waves also are important for amylase secretion. Ca2+ wave speed and direction was determined in individual cells within rat pancreatic acini using confocal line scanning microscopy. Both acetylcholine (ACh) and cholecystokinin-8 induced rapid Ca2+ waves which usually travelled in an apical-to-basal direction. Both caffeine and ryanodine, at concentrations that inhibit Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release (CICR), markedly slowed the speed of these waves. Amylase secretion was increased over 3-fold in response to ACh stimulation, and this increase was preserved in the presence of ryanodine. These results indicate that 1) stimulation of either muscarinic or cholecystokinin-8 receptors induces apical-to-basal Ca2+ waves in pancreatic acinar cells, 2) the speed of such waves is dependent upon mobilization of caffeine- and ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ stores, and 3) ACh-induced amylase secretion is not inhibited by ryanodine. These observations provide direct evidence that Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release is important for propagation of cytosolic Ca2+ waves in pancreatic acinar cells.     

Computer simulation of flagellar movement VIII: coordination of dynein by local curvature control can generate helical bending waves

Computer simulations have been carried out with a model flagellum that can bend in three dimensions. A pattern of dynein activation in which regions of dynein activity propagate along each doublet, with a phase shift of approximately 1/9 wavelength between adjacent doublets, will produce a helical bending wave. This pattern can be termed "doublet metachronism." The simulations show that doublet metachronism can arise spontaneously in a model axoneme in which activation of dyneins is controlled locally by the curvature of each outer doublet microtubule. In this model, dyneins operate both as sensors of curvature and as motors. Doublet metachronism and the chirality of the resulting helical bending pattern are regulated by the angular difference between the direction of the moment and sliding produced by dyneins on a doublet and the direction of the controlling curvature for that doublet. A flagellum that is generating a helical bending wave experiences twisting moments when it moves against external viscous resistance. At high viscosities, helical bending will be significantly modified by twist unless the twist resistance is greater than previously estimated. Spontaneous doublet metachronism must be modified or overridden in order for a flagellum to generate the planar bending waves that are required for efficient propulsion of spermatozoa. Planar bending can be achieved with the three-dimensional flagellar model by appropriate specification of the direction of the controlling curvature for each doublet. However, experimental observations indicate that this "hard-wired" solution is not appropriate for real flagella.     

Swimming behaviour of the unicellular biflagellate Oxyrrhis marina: in vivo and in vitro movement of the two flagella

The movement of the 2 flagella of Oxyrrhis marina was examined with respect to their individual waveforms and the swimming behavior of the organism. The longitudinal flagella propagated helicoidal waves whose amplitude decreased toward the tip of th flagellum. Their beat frequencies were 50-60 Hz. The transverse flagella beat helicoidally within a furrow. Sudden changes in the direction of the cell trajectories were generated by transient arrests of the longitudinal flagellum beat, which were accompanied by a switch from the backward orientation to a forward one. This sweeping motion generated the rotation of the cell body. Ca2+ ions highly stimulated the frequencies of this arrest response, which compared to the "walking-stick" behavior of sea urchin spermatozoa. Isolated flagella were ATA-reactivated after detergent treatment. They exhibited 2 types of motion within the same experimental conditions. A progressive helicoidal motion was generated upon longitudinal flagellum reactivation, whereas a rolling motion with little progression characterized transverse flagellum reactivation. The differences in motile behavior reflect regulations of flagellar movement which were not destroyed by the isolation procedure and may be indicative of regulation by accessory structures.     

Purification of calmodulin from Chlamydomonas: calmodulin occurs in cell bodies and flagella

Calmodulin has been purified from cell bodies of the green alga Chlamydomonas by Ca++-dependent affinity chromatography on fluphenazine- Sepharose 4B. Calmodulin from this primitive organism closely resembles that from bovine brain in a number of properties, including (a) binding to fluphenazine in a Ca++-dependent, reversible manner, (b) functioning as a heat-stable, Ca++-dependent activator of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, and (c) electrophoretic mobility in SDS- polyacrylamide gels in both the presence and absence of Ca++, which causes a shift in the relative mobility of calmodulin. Calmodulin has also been identified by the criteria of phosphodiesterase activation and electrophoretic mobility in both the detergent soluble "membrane plus matrix" and the axoneme fractions of Chlamydomonas flagella. Calmodulin is not associated with the partially purified 12S or 18S dynein ATPases of Chlamydomonas. The presence of calmodulin in the flagellum suggests that it is involved in one or more of the Ca++- dependent activities of this organelle.     

Functional state of the axonemal dyneins during flagellar bend propagation

When mouse spermatozoa swim in media of high viscosity, additional waves of bending are superimposed on the primary traveling wave. The additional (secondary) waves are relatively small in scale and high in frequency. They originate in the proximal part of the interbend regions. The initiation of secondary bending happens only in distal parts of the flagellum. The secondary waves propagate along the interbends and then tend to die out as they encounter the next-most-distal bend of the primary wave, if that bend exceeds a certain angle. The principal bends of the primary wave, being of greater angle than the reverse bends, strongly resist invasion by the secondary waves; when a principal bend of the primary wave propagates off the flagellar tip, the secondary wave behind it suddenly increases in amplitude. We claim that the functional state of the dynein motors in relation to the primary wave can be deduced from their availability for recruitment into secondary wave activity. Therefore, only the dyneins in bends are committed functionally to the maintenance and propagation of the flagellar wave; dyneins in interbend regions are not functionally committed in this way. We equate functional commitment with tension-generating activity, although we argue that the regions of dynein thus engaged nevertheless permit sliding displacements between the doublets.     

Reaction-diffusion equations for simulation of calcium signalling in cell systems.

Numerous experimental and theoretical studies have recently pointed to the importance of calcium signals and their propagation as waves of various kinds inside cells. This phenomenon has been particularly noted in fertilized egg cells. Ca2+ plays a fundamental role in these cells as it is capable of stimulating, by means of a first, large wave, the beginning of an organism's life at fertilization, immediately after sperm penetration. Furthermore, calcium is involved in numerous subsequent processes that are essential for the development of the future embryo, e.g. in contraction of cortical cytoplasm, protein synthesis and cell differentiation. Calcium waves, which are generated by self-oscillating pacemakers and propagate in excitable media, have been observed in some types of egg cells after fertilization. These waves adopt different shapes according to their emission frequency, wavelength, velocity and curvature, and they can occur as solitary waves, target waves or spiral waves. The mathematical models that study the progress of these waves have been developed by means of partial differential equations of the "reaction-diffusion" type. This study will discuss some significant models of intracellular Ca2+ dynamics. Some preliminary considerations will then be made in order to develop a model that describes the propagation of Ca2+ waves in ascidian eggs.     

Calcium regulation of flagellar curvature and swimming pattern in triton X-100--extracted rat sperm

Free Ca2+ changes the curvature of epididymal rat sperm flagella in demembranated sperm models. The radius of curvature of the flagellar midpiece region was measured and found to be a continuous function of the free Ca2+ concentration. Below 10(-7) M free Ca2+, the sperm flagella assumed a pronounced curvature in the same direction as the sperm head. The curvature reversed direction at 2.5 x 10(-6) M Ca2+ to assume a tight, hook-like bend at concentrations of 10(-5) to 10(-4) M free Ca2+. Sodium vanadate at 2 x 10(-6) M blocked flagellar motility, but did not inhibit the Ca2+-mediated change in curvature. Nickel ion at 0.2 mM and cadmium ion at 1 microM interfered with the transition and induced the low Ca2+ configuration of the flagellum. The forces that maintain the Ca2+-dependent curvature are locally produced, as dissection of the flagella into segments did not significantly alter the curvature of the excised portions. Irrespective of the induced pattern of curvature, the sperm exhibited coordinated, repetitive flagellar beating in the presence of ATP and cAMP. At 0.3 mM ATP the flagellar waves propagated along the principal piece while the level of free Ca2+ controlled the overall curvature. When Ca2+-treated sperm models with hooked midpieces were subjected to higher concentrations of ATP (1-5 mM), some cells exhibited a pattern of movement similar to hyperactivated motility in capacitated live sperm. This type of motility involved repetitive reversals of the Ca2+-induced bend in the midpiece, as well as waves propagated along the principal piece. The free Ca2+ available to the flagellum therefore appeared to modify both the pattern of motility and the flagellar curvature.     

"Calcium antagonists": a class of drugs with a bright future. Part I. Cellular calcium homeostasis and calcium as a coupling messenger

The aim of this series of minireviews is to present material from multidisciplinary sources to facilitate the understanding of the pharmacology and the ample clinical potential of a class of drugs that were originally designated as "calcium antagonists" and more recently have been referred to as "calcium entry blockers", "calcium slow channel blockers" or "calcium modulators". In this first report our attention will be focussed on the pivotal role of Ca++ as a messenger linking stimuli of extracellular origin to the intracellular environment. Eucaryotic cells have a number of powerful means to control their cytosolic Ca++ concentration. Firstly, in a cell at rest the cellular membrane is relatively impermeable to passive Ca++ movements. This property of the plasmalemma prevents the high free Ca++ concentration (approximately 1 mM) of the extracellular compartment from invading the cytosol (approximately 0.1 microM). However, extracellular Ca++ can reach the cytosol through the Na+/Ca++ exchange mechanism and the plasmalemma possesses special Ca++ channels the conductance of which is controlled by gates that are opened by critical changes in cellular polarization (voltage-operated channels: VOC) or by receptor activation (receptor-operated channel: ROC). The Ca++ entering via VOC or ROC can subsequently trigger the liberation of Ca++ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum or from calcium stores located in the inner side of the plasmalemma. The intracellular message generated by external stimuli is transferred to the response mechanism by several cytosolic proteins that require Ca++ as activator. Finally, the termination of the response is the result of a reduction in the cytosolic Ca++ concentration that is accomplished by the Na+/Ca++ exchange mechanism or by energy-dependent pumps which extrude Ca++ from the cell or store it in subcellular organelles. Therefore, any of the numerous steps of the excitation-response coupling which employ Ca++ as a messenger or as a protein activator can be the site of action of a pharmacological agent. In the follow-up minireview, some methods to determine the basic pharmacological profile of compounds interfering with cellular Ca++-dependent functions will be described.     

Induction of cytotoxic lymphocyte responses by antigen-specific helper factors

Antigen-specific helper factors (ASHF) were purified by antigen-affinity chromatography from supernatants of long-term helper T lymphocyte (TH) lines. We have modified an established helper-dependent assay system to demonstrate the antigen specificity and H-2 restriction properties of ASHF in the induction of cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors (CTLp). Antigen specificity is demonstrated by the binding of ASHF molecules only to nominal antigen, both during purification and in tests of functional activity. Our ASHF preparations do not contain any interleukin 2 (IL 2) activity. The ASHF, purified by antigen-affinity chromatography in the presence of Ca++, is defined as Ca++-sufficient ASHF, whereas ASHF purified on antigen-affinity columns in the absence of Ca++ is defined to be Ca++ deficient. Ca++-sufficient ASHF is not H-2 restricted (as defined by the phenotype of the ASHF-producing cells) in the recognition of nominal antigen or in its interactions with CTLp or adherent stimulator cells. In contrast, when the "complete" (Ca++-sufficient) ASHF is functionally dissociated into subunits by removal of Ca++, the "incomplete" antigen-specific subunit of ASHF (Ca++-deficient ASHF) is still H-2-unrestricted in its ability to bind nominal antigen, but requires products from syngeneic adherent cells to trigger CTLp. When adherent cells that are H-2 identical to the ASHF are provided in culture, the "incomplete" ASHF is able to trigger either syngeneic or allogeneic CTLp in an antigen-specific manner. We interpret the results of our experiments to suggest that an H-2-restricted molecular interaction occurs in CTLp induction by ASHF. An antigen-specific, TH-derived receptor appears to require association with Ca++ and self major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-encoded molecules to form a "complete" ASHF that is able to trigger CTLp in an apparently H-2-unrestricted manner.     

Intercellular calcium waves in primary cultured rat mesenteric smooth muscle cells are mediated by connexin43

Intercellular Ca(2+) wave propagation between vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is associated with the propagation of contraction along the vessel. Here, we characterize the involvement of gap junctions (GJs) in Ca(2+) wave propagation between SMCs at the cellular level. Gap junctional communication was assessed by the propagation of intercellular Ca(2+) waves and the transfer of Lucifer Yellow in A7r5 cells, primary rat mesenteric SMCs (pSMCs), and 6B5N cells, a clone of A7r5 cells expressing higher connexin43 (Cx43) to Cx40 ratio. Mechanical stimulation induced an intracellular Ca(2+) wave in pSMC and 6B5N cells that propagated to neighboring cells, whereas Ca(2+) waves in A7r5 cells failed to progress to neighboring cells. We demonstrate that Cx43 forms the functional GJs that are involved in mediating intercellular Ca(2+) waves and that co-expression of Cx40 with Cx43, depending on their expression ratio, may interfere with Cx43 GJ formation, thus altering junctional communication.     

Self-organizing actin waves as planar phagocytic cup structures

Actin waves that travel on the planar membrane of a substrate-attached cell underscore the capability of the actin system to assemble into dynamic structures by the recruitment of proteins from the cytoplasm. The waves have no fixed shape, can reverse their direction of propagation and can fuse or divide. Actin waves separate two phases of the plasma membrane that are distinguished by their lipid composition. The area circumscribed by a wave resembles in its phosphoinositide content the interior of a phagocytic cup, leading us to explore the possibility that actin waves are in-plane phagocytic structures generated without the localized stimulus of an attached particle. Consistent with this view, wave-forming cells were found to exhibit a high propensity for taking up particles. Cells fed rod-shaped particles produced elongated phagocytic cups that displayed a zonal pattern that reflected in detail the actin and lipid pattern of free-running actin waves. Neutrophils and macrophages are known to spread on surfaces decorated with immune complexes, a process that has been interpreted as “frustrated” phagocytosis. We suggest that actin waves enable a phagocyte to scan a surface for particles that might be engulfed.Key words: actin waves, Dictyostelium, membrane tension, pattern formation, phagocytosis, PI3-kinase, PI(3,4,5)P3, self-organization     

The equation of motion for sperm flagella.

The equation of motion for sperm flagella, in which the elastic bending moment and the active contractile moment are balanced by the moment from the viscous resistance of the surrounding fluid, is solved for a wave solution that superimposes partial solutions. Substitution of the expression for the wave solution into the equation leads to an expression for the active contractile moment. This active moment can be decomposed into two parts. The first part describes an active moment that travels over the flagellum with the mechanical flagellar wave, the second part represents a moment in phase over the entire length of the flagellum, which decreases linearly towards the distal tip. The linear synchronous moment, to which an amount of traveling moment has been added as a perturbation, leads to wave solutions that closely resemble flagellar waves. Properties such as wavelength and wave amplitudes and also the shape of the waves in sea urchin sperm flagella at different frequencies are accurately described by the theory. The change in wave shape in sea urchin sperm flagella at raised viscosity is predicted well by the theory. The different wave properties caused in bull sperm flagella by different boundary conditions at the proximal junction are explained. When only a traveling active moment is present in a flagellum, the wave solutions describe waves of a small wave length in a long flagellum. Some properties of the wave motion of sperm flagella are derived from the theory and verified experimentally.     

Anisotropic propagation of Ca2+ waves in isolated cardiomyocytes.

Digital imaging microscopy of fluor-3 fluorescence was used to study the propagation of intracellular Ca2+ waves in isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes from 17 to 37 degrees C. Ca2+ waves spread in both transverse and longitudinal direction of a myocyte. Transverse propagation was pronounced in waves starting from a focus at the edge of a myocyte and in waves following an irregular, curved path (spiral waves). For the former type of waves, propagation velocities were determined. Both transverse and longitudinal wave components propagated at constant velocity ranging from 30 to 125 micron/s. Myocytes were anisotropic with respect to wave propagation: waves propagated faster in the longitudinal than in the transverse direction. The ratio between longitudinal and transverse velocity increased from 1.30 at 17 degrees C to 1.55 at 37 degrees C. Apparent activation energies for transverse and longitudinal wave propagation were estimated to be -20 kJ/mol, suggesting that these processes are limited by diffusion of Ca2+. Direction-dependent propagation velocities are interpreted to result from the highly ordered structure of the myocytes, especially from the anisotropic arrangement of diffusion obstacles such as myofilaments and mitochondria.     

Self-organizing actin waves as planar phagocytic cup structures

Actin waves that travel on the planar membrane of a substrate-attached cell underscore the capability of the actin system to assemble into dynamic structures by the recruitment of proteins from the cytoplasm. The waves have no fixed shape, can reverse their direction of propagation, and can fuse or divide. Actin waves separate two phases of the plasma membrane that are distinguished by their lipid composition. The area circumscribed by a wave resembles in its phosphoinositide content the interior of a phagocytic cup, leading us to explore the possibility that actin waves are in-plane phagocytic structures generated without the localized stimulus of an attached particle. Consistent with this view, wave-forming cells were found to exhibit a high propensity for taking up particles. Cells fed rod-shaped particles produced elongated phagocytic cups that displayed a zonal pattern that reflected in detail the actin and lipid pattern of free-running actin waves. Neutrophils and macrophages are known to spread on surfaces decorated with immune complexes, a process that has been interpreted as “frustrated” phagocytosis. We suggest that actin waves enable a phagocyte to scan a surface for particles that might be engulfed.