UNIT 1.

Gravity and Biology

Presented by: Dr. Emily Morey-Holton

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UNIT 1.2
Gravity and Biology
Dr. Emily R. Morey-Holton

NASAS VISION To improve life here. To extend life there. To find life beyond.

NASAS MISSION To understand and protect our home planet. To explore the Universe and search for life. To inspire the next generation of explorers. .as only NASA can!

Outline:
1. What is gravity? 2. What happens to life when gravity changes? a. Cells i. E. Coli ii. Renal Cells iii. Avian Muscle b. Plants i. Above the Ground ii. Below the Ground c. Vertebrate Development i. Amphibians ii. Quail iii. Rodents d. Adult Humans i. Fluid / Cardiovascular ii. Vestibular iii. Musculoskeletal 3. Is gravity necessary for life as we know it? 4. Does gravity play a role in evolution?

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What is Gravity?

Fg = Gu

M1m2 d2

GRAVITY IS A CONTINUUM

0G

10-5 G

1 5G G

MultiG Mentality

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What Happens to Life When Gravity Changes?

http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/

Ichthyostega 350 MY

Moschops 150 MY

Bush Baby 70 MY

Gorilla 30 MY

Human 1.6 MY

Gravity is a far ranging force with intensity and direction and is the most constant environmental factor through evolution. Gravity on Earth = 1G throughout evolution Weight = Mass x G level

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What Happens to Life When G Changes?

With reduced gravity: o Rain does not fall o Water does not drain o Heat does not dissipate o Air and water do not separate o There is no falling "down" o Altered fluid flow, structural support, g detection systems o Shape changes rather than volume--requires generations, not acute studies How much G is enough? How much G is too much? o Cells/Small Organisms--106G--easier transit through space o Young Plants--10 minutes at 30-40G o Rats--15G for 10 min (20G is lethal) o Humans--4-5G for 10 minutes--take Earth along

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What Happens to Life When Gravity Changes: Cells

7 flights with E. Coli

Bottom line: ~ doubling of cells likely due changes in environment
http://www.colorado.edu/ASEN/asen5016/Animation.gif
Klaus, D., S. Simski, P. Todd, and L. Stodieck. Investigation of space flight effects on E. Coli and a proposed model of underlying physical mechanisms. Microbiology 143:449-455, 1997. Klaus, D.M. Microgravity and its Implication for Fermentation Technology. Trends in Biotechnology 16:369-373, 1998.

RENAL CELLS

Microvilli

Static 1G

MIR

Static 1G

RWV 1 G

Static 1G
Hammond, T.G., F.C. Lewis, T.J. Goodwin, et al. Gene expression in space. Nature Medicine 5:359, 1999

3G

http://www.tmc.tulane.edu/astrobiology/microarray

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What Happens to Life When Gravity Changes: Cells

AVIAN MUSCLE

Avian muscle fibers decrease their rate of protein synthesis and lose fiber mass
Vandenburgh H, Chromiak J, Shansky J, Del Tatto M, Lemaire J. Space travel directly induces skeletal muscle atrophy. FASEB J. 13:1031-1038, 1999. Ingber, D. How cells (might) sense microgravity. FASEB J. 13 (Suppl.), S3-S15, 1999.

Force Coupling Between Extracellular Matrix and the Cytoskeleton

Ingber, D. E. Tensegrity: The Architectural Basis of Cellular Mechanotransduction. Annu. Rev. Psiol. 59:575-59, 1997; The architecture of life. Sientific American, January 1998. Ingber, D. E. Tensegrity I. Cell structure and hierarchical systems biology. J Cell Sci. 116: 1157-1173, 2003. Ingber, D. E. Tensegrity II. How structural networks influence cellular information processing networks. Cell Sci. 116:1397-1408, 2003. Cell & molecular biology research in space. FASEB J. 13 (Suppl.), S1-S177, 1999.

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What Happens to Life When Gravity Changes: Cells

Cells Summary:

Local microenvironment altered Steady state gene expression may change Cellular force coupling systems need further study Mechanosensitive channels need further study Cellular signaling mechanisms may be altered

Some cellular structures may have evolved to detect or oppose loading

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What Happens to Life When Gravity Changes: Plants

ABOVE THE GROUND:

Uneven ripening in Brassica (Musgrave, 2000)

Water droplet (with air bubble) sticks to leaf and doesnt bend stem on ISS (Budarin photo, 4/9/03)

Lessons Learned: Stems branch at 90 in space vs 45 on Earth; main stem follows light similar to Earth Manual pollination is required With appropriate airflow and environmental control, plants (Brassica) can go through all stages of development Decreased height and seed weight and quality in F2 and uneven ripening of silique(starts at tip and moves to stem rather than uniform)(Musgrave, 2000)

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What Happens to Life When Gravity Changes: Plants

BELOW THE GROUND: Water Management for Wheat Production
The difference between the vertical root zone water content distributions observed in g and at 1g using 1-2 mm Balkanine porous media in the10 cm tall Svet root modules

Lessons Learned Little distances have big effects on water movement Capillary forces become dominant as gravitational forces decrease Properly managed porous substrate root zones can deliver hydroponic class results in g. Increasing light levels will increase the strain on the root zone water delivery systems Root growth media (wetting characteristics, particle size, and pore size) must optimize availability of water, dissolved nutrients, and gases

Bingham, G.E., S.B. Jones, D. Or, Utah State University; I. Podolsky, V. Sytchev, Institute of Biomedical Problems, Moscow. Water Management Lessons from Plant Full Life Cycle Experiments on Mir, Grav. Space Biol. Bull. 12: 56, 1998. Jones, S.B. and D. Or. Microgravity effects on water flow and distribution in unsaturated porous media: analysis of flight experiments. Water Resources Research 35: 929-942, 1999.

Plants Summary:
Plants must adapt to two environments- Above AND Below the ground. They have a short lifespan, low light requirements, and small size complicating understanding of spaceflight adaptation.

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What Happens When Gravity Changes: Vertebrate Development

SPECIES DOUBLING TIME
E. Coli (Bacteria): Yeast: Protozoa (Euglena in the dark): Paramecium: Eukaryotic cells in culture: C. Elegans: Arabidopsis (Plant): Drosophila: Rodent: Zebrafish: Quail/chicken: Xenopus: Human: 0.01d (16 min) 0.07d (100 min) 0.5d 0.75d 1d 4d (on plates) or 8d (in suspension culture) 25d (light dependent) 13d (at 25C) 21d gestation + 42d fertile age = 63d (2 mo) 90d (3.2 mo) 20d egg + 70d fertile age = 90d (3 mo) 152d (diploid, 5 mo) or 730d (pseudo tetraploid, 2 yr) 270d gestation + 5110d = 5380d (15yr)

Species doubling times vary greatly between species. Invertebrates (bacteria through insects) can go through multiple generations during the 90-day crew rotation planned for ISS, while vertebrates have a minimal doubling time of 84 days. Humans have only spent ~1% of life span in space. Most data pre/post flight, not in flight.

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What Happens When Gravity Changes: Vertebrate Development

AMPHIBIANS

0g

Major Findings:

Picture data from Ken Souza, NASA Ames Research Center

A vertebrate can ovulate in the virtual absence of gravity Rotation of egg in space not essential for development Thicker blastocoel roof without obvious tadpole defects Eggs can develop to a free-living system in space Lungs of flight tadpoles did not inflate

Souza, K.A., S.D. Black, and R. J. Wassersug. Amphibian development in the virtual absence of gravity. PNAS 92:1975-1978, 1995.

0g

Inflight 1g

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What Happens When Gravity Changes: Vertebrate Development

QUAIL
Preliminary Findings: Adult quail adapted readily to the spaceflight environment. Hatchlings did not develop motor skills necessary for prolonged survival in space.

MIR downlink video from Dr. T. Jones, U.Missouri-Columbia/Dr. K. Boda, Slovak Academy of Science

RATS

Preliminary Finding: Neonates Critical developmental periods may require gravity

Movie clips from Dr. Kerry Walton/Dr. Rodolfo Llinas, NYU Medical Center Walton, K. Postnatal development under conditions of simulated weightlessness and space flight. Brain Res. Reviews 28:25-34, 1998.

Vertebrate Development Summary:

Development transitions may be lethal to tadpole. Biomechanical loading may be required for Earth-like development of some structures/innervation. Habitats for multiple generations in space - may require different caging for different stages of development.

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What Happens to Life When Gravity Changes: Adult Humans

Percentage of lifespan spent in space Humans ~1% Rats ~2%

ABOUT LOAD

Dr. Rob Whalen

Spaceflight Changes
Fluid / Cardiovascular Neurovestibular

Musculoskeletal

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What Happens to Life When Gravity Changes: Adult Humans

FLUID/CARDIOVASCULAR

Major Findings: Fluid shifts toward the head Reduced plasma volume Decreased red blood cell number Decreased central venous pressure challenges traditional concepts Difficulty standing postflight

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What Happens to Life When Gravity Changes: Adult Humans

NEUROVESTIBULAR

Major Findings: Space adaptation syndrome Increased reliance on touch and sight for vertical alignment of the body early in flight Later in flight, down is where the feet are (internal alignment) Postflight: postural instability--reinterpret cues Postflight: slowed reflexes associated with posture and gait

MUSCULOSKELETAL
Major Findings : Increased calcium in urine with loss of bone mineral in the weight-bearing bones Minimal loss in total body mineral Loss of bone may be associated with muscle loss, both are site-specific Loss of lean body mass in lower extremities and trunk>bone loss Functional/phenotype change in postural (antigravity) muscles Postflight: reduced muscle strength and power

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What Happens to Life When Gravity Changes: Adult Humans

COUNTERMEASURE RECOMMENDATIONS
NASA TASK FORCE ON COUNTERMEASURES, May 1997 Exercise: heavy resistance for maximal force production to maintain Earth loading levels Diet sufficient for energy expenditure and hydration needs UV light Artificial g: g direction and g gradient are very important Drugs to be used only if physical countermeasures are ineffective

MEDICAL SYMPTOMS IN U.S SPACE PROGRAM

Shuttle program (89 shuttle missions) 1981-1998 508 crew (439 men, 69 women)/ 4443 flight days o 79% reported Space Motion Sickness o 98% reported some medical symptom 67% reported headache 64% reported respiratory complaints 59% reported facial fullness 32% reported gastrointestinal complaints 26% reported musculoskeletal complaints

Adapting to spaceflight is not an issue -- returning to Earth is! FUNCTIONAL USE HYPOTHESIS Use it or Lose it!

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Conclusions - All Species

Is Gravity necessary for life as we know it?

o Life is plastic--adaptive (transient/chronic) changes in single generations o Gravity may be essential for life as we know it

Does Gravity play a role in evolution? Response to Hypergravity Tree Snake>Land Snake>Aquatic Snake

Lillywhite, H.B. Snakes, blood circulation and gravity. Scientific American. 256:92-98, 1988. Lillywhite, H.B., R.E. Ballard, A.R. Hargens, and H.I. Rosenberg. Cardiovascular responses of snakes to hypergravity. Gravitational Space Bio. Bull. 10 (2):145-152, 1997.

Tree Land

Sea

We can venture into space -- but could we come home after multiple generations?

GRAVITY SHAPES LIFE!!!

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Reference Materials and Web Links

http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/
http://www.colorado.edu/ASEN/asen5016/Animation.gif

http://www.tmc.tulane.edu/astrobiology/microarray http://astrobiology.arc.nasa.gov/home.html http://space.arc.nasa.gov http://lifesci.arc.nasa.gov

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Notes:

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