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Electro-magnetically modulated self-propulsion of swimming sperms via cervical canal

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to theoretically investigate the electro-magneto-biomechanics of the swimming of sperms through cervical canal in the female reproductive system. During sexual intercourse, millions of sperms migrate into the cervix in large groups, hence we can approximately model their movement activity by a swimming sheet through the electrically-conducting biofluid. The Eyring–Powell fluid model is considered as the base fluid to simulate male’s semen with self-propulsive sperms. An external magnetic field is applied on the flow in transverse direction. The governing partial differential system of equations is analytically solved. Creeping flow regimen is employed throughout the channel due to self-propulsion of swimmers along with long wavelength approximation. Solutions for the stream function, velocity profile, and pressure gradient (above and below the swimming sheet) are obtained and plotted with the pertinent parameters. The prominent features of pumping characteristics are also investigated. Results indicate that the propulsive velocity is reduced with an increase in the electric field which is an important feature that can be used in controlling the transport of spermatozoa inside the cervical canal. Not only is the present analysis valid for living micro-organisms, but also valid for artificially designed electro-magnetic micro-swimmers which is further utilized in electro-magnetic therapy taking place in female’s lubricous cervical canal filled with mucus.

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Acknowledgements

This work has been accomplished under a bilateral cooperation agreement between TWAS-UNESCO and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México in Juriquilla, Querétaro. Sara I. Abdelsalam would like to acknowledge TWAS-Italy for the financial support of her visit to UNAM under the TWAS-UNESCO Associateship. The author also thanks the FORDECYT-CONACYT for the financial support under the aforementioned agreement. Special thanks are given to Professor Marcelo Aguilar, the Instituto de Matemáticas of UNAM, for facilitating the visit.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Matemáticas - Juriquilla, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Blvd. Juriquilla 3001, 76230, Querétaro, Mexico

    Sara I. Abdelsalam & Jorge X. Velasco-Hernández

  2. Basic Science, Faculty of Engineering, The British University in Egypt, Al-Shorouk City, Cairo, 11837, Egypt

    Sara I. Abdelsalam

  3. Engineering Mathematics and Physics Department, Faculty of Engineering, Shubra-Benha University, Cairo, Egypt

    A. Z. Zaher

Authors
  1. Sara I. Abdelsalam
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  2. Jorge X. Velasco-Hernández
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  3. A. Z. Zaher
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Contributions

S.I. Abdelsalam conceived the presented idea and the basic framework. A.Z. Zaher developed the theory, carried out the computations and produced the graphs. S.I. Abdelsalam verified the analytical methods and solutions. A.Z. Zaher wrote the modeling section and the solutions. S.I. Abdelsalam wrote the abstract, introduction, discussion, conclusion, and reference sections. J.X. Velasco-Hernández revised the manuscript. S.I. Abdelsalam supervised the findings of this work.

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Correspondence to Sara I. Abdelsalam.

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Abdelsalam, S.I., Velasco-Hernández, J.X. & Zaher, A.Z. Electro-magnetically modulated self-propulsion of swimming sperms via cervical canal. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 20, 861–878 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-020-01407-3

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