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Published on: December 10, 2010
Collagenase digestion of bone fragments in microgravity
M T Roedersheimer1, C R Nunes, S J Simske
1Bioserve Space Technologies and the Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.
Abstract:
The effect of a quiescent microgravity fluid environment on the activity of collagenase directed at demineralized bone fragments was investigated over a period of 10 days. Enzyme treatment resulted in greater mass loss in microgravity, with nearly three times the loss of mass during Space Shuttle mission STS-62 compared to the stationary ground control. Clinorotation enhanced the loss of mass relative to a stationary control, but this increase was still significantly less than the increase with exposure to microgravity. This suggests the detrimental influence of turbulence on the enzyme function and the benefit of using microgravity to provide both low turbulence and uniformity of unequally dense materials within the reaction chamber. The results are considered for their general applicability to a variety of bioprocessing applications that may be enhanced in microgravity.
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