sperm
As reported in February issue of the journal Cell, Dr. Yuriy Kirichok and colleagues from the University of California at San Francisco succeeded in observing the behavior of sperm. Sperm did not swim for a moment immediately after ejaculation. However, when they enter the female reproductive tract, they begin to swim and increase speed when approaching the egg cell.
Sperm cells seems to have limitations. To be the champion, they have to wait for the right moment. The winners did not immediately move, but they waited a moment before then swim toward eggs sporadically.
According to the researchers, sperm motility was also influenced by the level of acidity (pH) of their internal. A small pores on the surface of sperm cells will determine the pH change that later became the tail pelecut sperm movement.
From previous research it has been revealed that the level of sperm activity was determined by internal pH. However, scientists now have found a mechanism that can regulate the level of acid or basanya sperm.
In his research, Dr. Yuriy Kirichok found that to increase the pH becomes more alkaline (base), sperm cells have to remove the molecule protons. To make that happen, can be done through the pores on the surface of sperm cells.
“The concentration of protons in the sperm than 1,000 times higher than outside it. Only by opening the pores, the proton will come out, we also have identified a molecule that makes them out,” he said.
Kirichok added, tesebut pores, or the so-called researcher with the terms of protons Hv1 channels, seems dikonsidikan in the open position. Pores that can respond to similar substance called anandamide, which is the female reproductive and substances that high levels around the egg.
Anandamide is the endocannabinoid, a type of natural ingredients that can affect neurons. According to the researchers, a substance cannabinoids found in marijuana also has a similar effect so that it can explain why the use of marijuana causes infertility in men.
“Marijuana seems to be active sperm prematurely so that they burn in a matter of hours,” said Dr. Kirichok.
