The mammalian flagellum is a specific type of motile cilium required for sperm motility and male fertility. Effective flagellar movement is dependent on axonemal function, which in turn relies on proper ion homeostasis within the flagellar compartment. This ion homeostasis is maintained by the concerted function of ion channels and transporters that initiate signal transduction pathways resulting in motility changes.
Advances in electrophysiology and super-resolution microscopy have helped to identify and characterize new regulatory modalities of the mammalian flagellum. Using a variety of biochemical, electrophysiological and molecular biology methods, we study the regulation of the sperm flagellar ion channels. Identification of new regulatory elements and their specific roles in sperm motility is imperative for improving diagnostics of male infertility, as well developing effective infertility treatments and contraceptive.
