Reduced function and disorganized cytoskeleton of cardiomyocytes in spaceflight
- Paper number
IAC-06-A1.4.03
- Author
Ms. Fen Yang, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, China
- Coauthor
Dr. Yinghui Li, China Astronaut Research and Training Center, China
- Year
2006
- Abstract
Purpose: Lack of gravity during spaceflight has a profound effect on cardiovascular system, but little is known about how the heart cells response to microgravity. In present study, spaceflight experiments about cultured cardiomyocytes were reported for the first time. Methodology: The neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, cultured on plastic slides in a culture bag, were flown in space on the SZ-6 airship, and some samples were fixed at the time of 4, 48, and 96 h in orbit. After 115 h-spaceflight, the fixed cells were permeabilized and stained with fluorophore-labelings to visualize the distribution and organization of cytoskeleton components (microtubules, microfilaments), and the unfixed samples were taken back to our own laboratory to observe and record the morphology and beating of the still living myocytes by an inverted microscope connected with a video recorder. The culture mediums of unfixed cells were collected to analyze the ANP content by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Results: After 115-hour space flight, the ground and flown myocytes still attached on the slides and formed aggregates. When compared with ground myocytes, the flown myocytes aggregates continued to beat spontaneously, while the beating frequency decreased. The ANP content secreted into medium decreased significantly after 115-hour spaceflight (approximately 63.3 Conclusions: The results in present study indicate reduced function and disorganized cytoskeleton of cardiomyocytes in spaceflight. These findings are helpful to further explore the mechanism of space cardiovascular disfunction at cellular level.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-A1.4.03.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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