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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 3, 2025

In Vitro Growth of Mouse Preantral Follicles Under Simulated Microgravity

In Vitro Growth of Mouse Preantral Follicles Under Simulated Microgravity

Published on: December 17, 2017

Studies in microgravity, simulated microgravity and gravity do not support a gravitostat.

Russell T Turner^1,2, Adam J Branscum³, Carmen P Wong¹

¹Skeletal Biology Laboratory, School of Biological and Population Health Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.

The Journal of Endocrinology

|October 27, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The gravitostat, a proposed energy balance regulator, was not supported by experiments using microgravity and simulated gravity. Injury, not the gravitostat, may explain weight changes observed in prior studies.

Keywords:

centrifugation hindlimb unloading ionizing radiation rodent spaceflight

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Area of Science:

Physiology
Gravitational Biology
Energy Balance Regulation

Background:

The gravitostat is hypothesized as a leptin-independent mechanism for regulating energy balance, potentially influenced by prolonged sitting.
Previous studies suggested gravitostat function through rodent weight reduction after weighted capsule implantation, but this method involves confounding injury responses.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the existence of a gravitostat by manipulating gravitational forces using spaceflight, hindlimb unloading, and centrifugation.
To differentiate gravitostat-mediated weight changes from those induced by injury or stress.

Main Methods:

Rats and mice were exposed to microgravity (spaceflight, hindlimb unloading) and simulated gravity (centrifugation).
Weight changes were assessed in male and female rodents under various gravitational conditions.
Non-surgical injury models (radiation) were used to compare weight changes with purported gravitostat effects.

Main Results:

Spaceflight and simulated microgravity did not consistently alter rodent body weight as predicted by the gravitostat hypothesis.
Simulated gravity (centrifugation) did not induce weight changes.
Hindlimb unloading caused weight loss in mice, and radiation exposure mimicked weight changes attributed to the gravitostat.

Conclusions:

The findings do not support the existence of a gravitostat for energy balance regulation.
Injury or stress, rather than a gravitostat, may be responsible for weight loss observed in previous studies using weighted capsules.