Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Otoliths developed in microgravity.

M L Wiederhold1, J L Harrison, K Parker

  • 1Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Univ. Texas Health Sci. Center, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900, USA.

Journal of Gravitational Physiology : a Journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology
|April 17, 2003
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Histamine stimulates alveolar macrophages to release neutrophil and monocyte chemotactic activity.

The Journal of laboratory and clinical medicine·2001
Same author

Decrease of substance P in the parabrachial nucleus of multiple system atrophy.

Autonomic neuroscience : basic & clinical·2001
Same author

Phase I trial of weekly docetaxel combined with cisplatin in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2001
Same author

[Structure determination of the calcium pump of sarcoplasmic reticulum].

Tanpakushitsu kakusan koso. Protein, nucleic acid, enzyme·2001
Same author

Successful living donor liver transplantation for polycystic liver in a patient with autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease.

Journal of clinical gastroenterology·2001
Same author

A novel experimental mouse model of peritoneal dissemination of human gastric cancer cells: analysis of the mechanism of peritoneal dissemination using cDNA macroarrays.

Japanese journal of cancer research : Gann·2001
Same journal

Hypergravity effects on pregnancy and parturition.

Journal of gravitational physiology : a journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology·2013
Same journal

Characteristics of the parallel-plate flow chamber for mechanical stimulation of bone cells under microgravity.

Journal of gravitational physiology : a journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology·2009
Same journal

From the first dog to the last monkey in space.

Journal of gravitational physiology : a journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology·2008
Same journal

Columbus, the European Physiology Modules Facility and CADMOS.

Journal of gravitational physiology : a journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology·2008
Same journal

Abdominal and fetal echography tele-operated in several medical centres sites, from an expert center, using a robotic arm & telephone or satellite link.

Journal of gravitational physiology : a journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology·2008
Same journal

WISE-2005: developing a non-invasive method to monitor cardiovascular deconditioning.

Journal of gravitational physiology : a journal of the International Society for Gravitational Physiology·2008
See all related articles

Gravity affects otolith development. Studies show otoliths (gravity-sensing organs) grow larger in space and smaller in higher gravity, suggesting adaptation to gravitational forces.

Area of Science:

  • Gravitational biology
  • Sensory organ development
  • Otolith research

Background:

  • The mechanisms regulating otolith development in gravity-sensing organs are not well understood.
  • Otoliths are dense structures within the inner ear that play a crucial role in sensing gravity and linear acceleration.
  • Previous experiments suggest otolith growth is adjusted to maintain a specific mass relative to gravitational forces.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of spaceflight on otolith development in swordtail fish embryos.
  • To determine if otolith size is modulated by altered gravitational conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Swordtail fish (Xiphophorus helleri) embryos were reared in space during STS-89 and STS-90 (Neurolab) missions.
  • Embryos were also reared in ground-control conditions using identical hardware for comparison.
Keywords:
NASA Discipline Developmental BiologyNASA Experiment Number 9301004Non-NASA Center

Related Experiment Videos

  • Otolith size was measured and compared between space-flown and ground-reared groups.

    • Main Results:

    • Otoliths of swordtail fish embryos reared in space were significantly larger than those of ground-reared controls.
    • This finding supports the hypothesis that otoliths adapt in size based on gravitational loading.
    • Previous studies in mollusks, amphibians, and fish have shown similar trends of otolith size alteration in response to different gravity levels.

    Conclusions:

    • Spaceflight significantly increases otolith size in developing swordtail fish embryos.
    • Otolith development is sensitive to gravitational forces, with larger otoliths forming in microgravity.
    • These findings contribute to understanding sensory adaptation to altered gravity environments.