Abstract
After a 16-year hiatus, Russia has resumed its program of biomedical research in space, with the successful 30-day flight of the Bion-M 1 biosatellite (April 19–May 19, 2013). The principal species for biomedical research in this project was the mouse. This paper presents an overview of the scientific goals, the experimental design and the mouse training/selection program. The aim of mice experiments in the Bion-M 1 project was to elucidate cellular and molecular mechanisms, underlying the adaptation of key physiological systems to long-term exposure in microgravity. The studies with mice combined in vivo measurements, both in flight and post-flight (including continuous blood pressure measurement), with extensive in vitro studies carried out shortly after return of the mice and in the end of recovery study. Male C57/BL6 mice group housed in space habitats were flown aboard the Bion-M 1 biosatellite, or remained on ground in the control experiment that replicated environmental and housing conditions in the spacecraft. Vivarium control groups were used to account for housing effects and possible seasonal differences. Mice training included the co-adaptation in housing groups and mice adaptation to paste food diet. The measures taken to co-adapt aggressive male mice in housing groups and the peculiarities of “space” paste food are described. The training program for mice designated for in vivo studies was broader and included behavioral/functional test battery and continuous behavioral measurements in the home-cage. The results of the preliminary tests were used for the selection of homogenous groups. After the flight, mice were in good condition for biomedical studies and displayed signs of pronounced disadaptation to Earth's gravity. The outcomes of the training program for the mice welfare are discussed. We conclude that our training program was effective and that male mice can be successfully employed in space biomedical research.
Highlights
After a 16-year hiatus, Russia resumed in 2013 its program of biomedical research in space, with the successful 30-day flight of the Bion-M 1 biosatellite (April 19–May 19, 2013), a specially designed automated spacecraft dedicated to life-science experiments. ‘‘M’’ in the mission’s name stands for ‘‘modernized’’; the epithet was applicable to the spacecraft and the research program
From an initial set of 300 male mice, 88 groups of 3 mice were formed, a total of 53 groups were used for the space flight (SF) experiment and corresponding SFV, 35 groups for subsequent ground control (GC) and Ground control experiment – vivarium control (GCV) studies (87%)
The use of male animals is obviously required for research in male reproduction and their larger size compared to females offered clear advantages
Summary
After a 16-year hiatus, Russia resumed in 2013 its program of biomedical research in space, with the successful 30-day flight of the Bion-M 1 biosatellite (April 19–May 19, 2013), a specially designed automated spacecraft dedicated to life-science experiments. ‘‘M’’ in the mission’s name stands for ‘‘modernized’’; the epithet was applicable to the spacecraft and the research program. After a 16-year hiatus, Russia resumed in 2013 its program of biomedical research in space, with the successful 30-day flight of the Bion-M 1 biosatellite (April 19–May 19, 2013), a specially designed automated spacecraft dedicated to life-science experiments. Unlike more recent space experiments that used female mice, males were flown in the Bion-M 1 mission. Russian biomedical research in space traditionally has employed dogs, rats, monkeys, and more recently Mongolian gerbils. The flight of Laika in 1957 was one of the early dog experiments and became world famous for demonstrating that a living organism can withstand rocket launch and weightlessness, paving the way for the first human spaceflight. Laika’s success promoted biomedical research with other non-human animals in space that culminated with the Bion biosatellites program. Animal experiments on the Bion missions have contributed comprehensive data on adaptive responses of sensorimotor, cardiovascular, muscle, bone and other systems to spaceflight conditions and the mechanisms underlying these adaptations [1,2]
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