[Morphological changes in gastric wall of mongolian gerbils following the 12-day orbital flight aboard Foton-M3]

Gastric wall of Meriones unguiculatus is distinguished by species-specific properties arising from the peculiar proportion of interstitium, muscle and epithelial tissues. Exposure to the factors of the 12-d Foton-M3 flight led to microfocal lesions of the mucous coat, dystrophic developments in the acid glands, dissociation of the mucous barrier function and deterioration of its biosynthetic function. Modifications of the tinctorial properties of the interstitium reticulum in every stomach layer progressed concurrently with reductions in prismatic epithelium height, as well as in mucous and muscular layer thickness. It is assumed that existence in the low gravity aboard the Biosat stimulated involutory processes in the gastric wall. Animals of the ground synchronous control conducted in the flight equipment mockup (Kontur-L) exhibited though similar yet less pronounced changes.