Water balance in rats exposed to chronic centrifugation

Changes in gravitational load have been shown to alter renal function, which could potentially affect water balance. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effects of chronic centrifugation on water balance. Eight Sprague-Dawley rats were centrifuged (12 days at 2 G), and eight rats were used as a control group. Water balance over the course of the study was determined by quantifying the percentage (%) of total body water [TBW; (TBW/body mass)] and water flux (water consumption - urine volume). TBW was estimated, by means of deuterium oxide dilution, before the study and after 3 days of centrifugation and by means of desiccation after 12 days of centrifugation. %TBW did not change in the centrifuged rats from initial levels or relative to controls over the course of the study. Differences between the sum of water consumption and sum of urine volume for the 12-day period were the same in both groups. Although an initial period of negative water balance was observed, the lack of a change in %TBW among the three measurement periods or in water flux over the 12 days of centrifugation suggests that water balance is not negatively affected as a result of centrifugation at 2 G.