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Related Experiment Videos

Gravity and developmental plasticity.

P W Barlow1

  • 1Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bristol, Long Ashton, U.K.

Advances in Space Research : the Official Journal of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR)
|September 7, 2001
PubMed
Summary
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Organisms exhibit developmental plasticity in response to environmental factors. This study explores if the absence of gravity could induce unique developmental forms, aiding in identifying gravity-dependent biological processes.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Plant Physiology
  • Astrobiology

Background:

  • Organisms display phenotypic plasticity, altering form, physiology, and genome structure in response to environmental cues.
  • Developmental instability, characterized by spontaneous anomalies, may arise from transient environmental perturbations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential of altered gravity, specifically its absence, to induce plastic developmental changes in organisms.
  • To explore the possibility of generating novel forms, termed 'agravimorphs', under microgravity conditions.
  • To identify biological processes fundamentally reliant on 1 x g gravity for normal development.

Main Methods:

  • Hypothetical exploration of microgravity's impact on developmental plasticity.
  • Conceptualization of 'agravimorphs' as potential outcomes of development in the absence of gravity.

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  • Proposed use of these forms to elucidate gravity-dependent developmental pathways.

    • Main Results:

    • The study posits that microgravity may be a significant environmental factor capable of inducing specific plastic developmental responses.
    • It is hypothesized that unique 'agravimorphs' could emerge under conditions lacking gravity.
    • These novel forms are proposed as tools for dissecting the role of gravity in biological development.

    Conclusions:

    • The absence of gravity is a potential environmental stimulus for plastic development, possibly leading to novel organismal forms.
    • The study suggests that observing and analyzing such 'agravimorphs' can reveal essential gravity-dependent developmental processes.
    • This research opens avenues for understanding the fundamental role of gravity in life's development.