UNIT 6.

Reproduction and Development in Hypo- and Hypergravity

Presented by: Dr. April Ronca

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UNIT 6.2
Reproduction and Development in Hypo- and Hypergravity
Dr. April Ronca

Vocabulary:

Cutaneous Fertilization Hypergravity Hypogravity Mammals Placentation Prenatal Postnatal Vestibular

Purpose:
To help engineers better understand the effects of altered gravity on the reproductive and development processes.

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RODENTS Why Study Reproduction and Development in Altered Gravity?

Advance the understanding of gravity dependence /independence of biological development. Developing systems can provide a simplified view of adult systems. Establish feasibility of long-term animal and human habitation of space. Determine whether major steps of reproduction can proceed in space.

What Do We Know About Reproduction and Development in Space?

Medaka

The first vertebrate mating in space The first hatching of eggs in space

Rattus norvegicus

The first pregnant mammals in space The first mammals to develop in space

Medaka (A small freshwater fish)

Adult size

0.7 gm weight - 3 cm length

Conditions for Mating and Egg-Laying o Lighting: 14 hours light - 10 hours dark o Temperature: 23-28 C Mating Habits Fish mate and lay eggs daily within 2 hours of lights on Eggs and Embryos o Egg Size: 1.0mm diameter o No. of Eggs: 5-25 eggs per female per day o Hatching: 10 days after fertilization

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RODENTS Medaka were flown on STS-65 in 1994 as part of the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2) Mission
Investigator: Kenichi Ijiri, University of Tokyo

Four fish were flown (two males and two female)

Results of the Medaka Experiment

Mating was successful Eggs were laid and developed normally with two pigmented eyes

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RODENTS Results of the Medaka Experiment

Hatching was Successful: A truly space-originated life Baby fish swimming with mother in space

Close up of the baby fish in space

Results of the Medaka Experiment

Re-Adaptation to Earths 1-g: Its Not As Easy As You Think! Adult fish were immobile

Each time the fish attempted to swim up, they dropped back to the floor of the tank

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RODENTS Can Mammals Reproduce and Develop in Space? Complete Life Cycle in Space

Mating Fertilization Establishment of placenta Pregnancy Prenatal development Birth Postnatal Development

Space Traveler?

The Cat in the Hat study reveals the remarkable ability of the infants brain to learn even before birth.

Newborns come into the world with the ability to see, hear, taste, smell and touch. These abilities develop during the last few months of pregnancy.

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RODENTS Maternal Movement During Pregnancy: Effects on Prenatal Sensory Development

Mammalian Development in Space *

* See Supplement Section Page 250.

Pregnant spaceflight rats had two times more labor contractions as compared to pregnant earth rats.
80 Contractions (% change from control)

60

NIH.R NIH.R1

40

20

Control

-20 -40

HG Study 201

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The Stress of Being Born

Adults During Rest Men During Sauna Bath Women During Delivery Men During Exercise Patient with Pheochromocytoma Infants at Birth

20

40

60

CATECHOLAMINES (NM / L)

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RODENTS Mother as a Vehicle for Developing Young

Flight Offspring Show a Precocious Pattern of Response to Tilt Stimulation

20

Change from baseline (BPM)

15 10 5 0 -5 -10 -15 -20 -30

Flt Syn Viv

-15

15

30

45

60

Time

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RODENTS Righting on a Surface was Unaffected by Prenatal Development in Space

Water Righting was Temporarily Impaired Following Prenatal Development in Space

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What About Motor Development?

Stages of Motor Development

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RODENTS Notes:

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