Abstract
It is becoming increasingly important to address the long-term effects of exposure to simulated microgravity as the potential for space tourism and life in space become prominent topics amongst the World’s governments. There are several studies examining the effects of exposure to simulated microgravity on various developmental systems and in various organisms; however, few examine the effects beyond the juvenile stages. In this study, we expose zebrafish embryos to simulated microgravity starting at key stages associated with cranial neural crest cell migration. We then analyzed the skeletons of adult fish. Gross observations and morphometric analyses show that exposure to simulated microgravity results in stunted growth, reduced ossification and severe distortion of some skeletal elements. Additionally, we investigated the effects on the juvenile skull and body pigmentation. This study determines for the first time the long-term effects of embryonic exposure to simulated microgravity on the developing skull and highlights the importance of studies investigating the effects of altered gravitational forces.
Highlights
As the potential for life in space and extended space travel approaches, it is important to determine the long-term effects exposure to altered gravitational forces has on the development of living organisms, the effects of exposure to microgravity
In order to delve deeper into the morphologies we observed in adults and to determine whether all neural crest cell fates are affected, we examined juvenile skulls and cranial pigmentation
Overall, fish were normal in morphology and in behavior after Simulated microgravity (SMG) exposure suggesting that global systemic abnormalities did not occur
Summary
As the potential for life in space and extended space travel approaches, it is important to determine the long-term effects exposure to altered gravitational forces has on the development of living organisms, the effects of exposure to microgravity. Microgravity is a reduction in the magnitude of Earth’s gravitational pull and is often referred to as zero-gravity. Microgravity is only present beyond Earth’s atmosphere where our planet’s gravitational pull is reduced from 9.81 ms to 10 mms at a distance of about 200 000 km. Over the last decade or more, ground based studies utilizing devices that can simulate microgravity conditions have been conducted. These devices (e.g. a rotating wall vessel, a clinostat etc), spin the organism such that the net force of the gravitational vector is the same magnitude at all points in the rotation; its direction is constantly changing as the organism spins. The resultant force is near zero, and this is referred to as simulated microgravity or SMG
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