Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026
10:48
In Vitro Growth of Mouse Preantral Follicles Under Simulated Microgravity
Published on: December 17, 2017
8.8K
Intestinal microbiota contributes to altered glucose metabolism in simulated microgravity mouse model
Yifan Wang1, Weijia Zhao1, Junxiu Shi2
1Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Peking University, Beijing, China.
Summary
Spaceflight alters gut bacteria, leading to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Supplementing with Bifidobacterium improved metabolic health in a mouse model, suggesting gut health is crucial for astronauts.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Metabolic Science
- Space Medicine
Background:
- Space environment exposure causes metabolic dysregulation, including muscle atrophy, bone loss, and cardiovascular issues.
- Changes in intestinal microbiota occur during spaceflight, but their role in metabolic disorders is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between glucose metabolic alterations and gut dysbiosis in a hind limb-unloading (HU) mouse model simulating spaceflight.
- To assess the impact of Bifidobacterium supplementation on metabolic changes and gut microbiota.
Main Methods:
- Hind limb unloading (HU) was used to simulate spaceflight in mice.
- Gut microbiota composition, glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and liver gene expression were analyzed.
- Bifidobacterium spp. supplementation was administered to HU mice.
Main Results:
- HU mice exhibited impaired weight gain, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance.
- A reduction in Bifidobacterium spp. and Akkermansia muciniphila abundance was observed within 3 days of HU.
- Bifidobacterium supplementation mitigated endotoxemia, liver inflammation, and improved glucose tolerance in HU mice.
Conclusions:
- Gut dysbiosis is closely linked to altered glucose metabolism in simulated microgravity.
- Intestinal microbiota modulation, specifically Bifidobacterium, can ameliorate spaceflight-induced metabolic disturbances.
- Evaluating astronauts' gut microbiota is important for understanding and mitigating spaceflight-related metabolic risks.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Glucose Absorption Into the Small Intestine
35.2K
Complex carbohydrates consumed cannot be absorbed into the small intestine in their original form. First, they must be hydrolyzed to a monosaccharide form such as glucose or galactose. These monosaccharides are then transported across the intestinal membrane and into the blood via transcellular transport. The intestinal epithelial cells allow the movement of these monosaccharides with a defined 'entry' through membrane transporter proteins present on their apical membrane and...
35.2K
00:52What is Metabolism?
131.3K
Overview
131.3K
01:23Binet's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence
1.7K
Alfred Binet, along with his student Théophile Simon, was tasked by the French Ministry of Education in 1904 to create a method for identifying students who struggled to learn through conventional classroom instruction. This initiative aimed to address overcrowding by placing such students in specialized schools. Binet and Simon developed an intelligence test comprising 30 tasks, ranging from simple commands, like touching one's nose or ear, to more complex tasks, such as drawing...
1.7K
01:23Anatomy of the Intestines
87.0K
Although digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids may begin in the stomach, it is completed in the intestine. The absorption of nutrients, water, and electrolytes from food and drink also occurs in the intestine. The intestines can be divided into two structurally distinct organs—the small and large intestines.
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
87.0K
01:30Alterations in Respiration II
1.7K
There are numerous types of normal and abnormal respiration. Based on ventilatory movements, breathing patterns are classified as regular, deep, or shallow. Examples include Biot's breathing, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, Kussmaul's breathing, hyperventilation, and hypoventilation. Each pattern is clinically significant and aids in evaluating patients.
In Biot's breathing, the respiratory rate and depth are irregular, alternating between periods of deep gasping and apnea. Common causes...
In Biot's breathing, the respiratory rate and depth are irregular, alternating between periods of deep gasping and apnea. Common causes...
1.7K
01:02Glucose Homeostasis: Regulation of Blood Glucose
3.9K
Carbohydrates consumed through foods are converted into glucose, a crucial energy source for the body. In the prandial state, high blood glucose levels stimulate the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin inhibits hepatic glucose production and stimulates glucose uptake and metabolism by muscle and adipose tissue. The excess glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles.
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...
3.9K