Publication number |
CLPUB00726 |
Authors |
Beaure d'Augeres C., Arnoult J., Bureau J., Duie P., Dupuy-Coin A.-M., Geraud G., Laquerriere F., Masson C., Pestmal M., Bouteille M. |
Title |
The effect of microgravity on mammalian cell polarisation at the ultrastructural level. |
Citation |
(In book chapter) Biorack on Spacelab D1. An overview of the first flight of Biorack, an ESA Facility for life sciences research in microgravity; Longdon N., David V. (eds.); pp.101-105; European Space Agency Publications Division; Noordwijk; Netherlands (1988) |
Abstract |
This experiment was designed to investigate whether weightlessness induces
changes at the ultrastructural level of mammalian cells. It has been shown
that most, if not all, cells are morphologically arranged in an orderly
fashion with regard to the respective location of the cytoplasmic
organelles, the nucleus in relation to the cytoplasmic organelles, and the
intranuclear organelles with respect to each other. However, it is thought
that the protoplasmic flow within every living cell, as well as the
cellular skeleton, may obscure the visible effects of gravity in such an
organisa-tion. This would imply that the effects of weightlessness might
only result in minute changes in the ultrastructural distribution of
cellular components. A search for such changes using stereological methods
was carried out with highly polarised suspended cells. Changes in
ultrastructure were correlated with changes in cell metabolism by means of
auto-radiography. Specific statistical and stereological methods of
analysis as well as specific staining techniques had therefore to be
employed to allow a thorough analysis and to determine the three-
dimensional construction of the cells.
|
Cell lines |
CVCL_WN52; AM2 [Mouse hybridoma] |