Microgravity Studies of Cells and Tissues

Vunjak‐Novakovic, Gordana; Searby, N. D.; Luis, Javier; Freed, Lisa E.

doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2002.tb05927.x

Cited by 51 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 16 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…Early theoretical analyses by Pollard (201) similarly concluded that the threshold for microgravity to produce an effect on cells was about 10 m in diameter, which is larger than most bacterial cells. A review of the literature from the decades that followed, however, reveals that a variety of differences in microbial growth and behavior have in fact been observed as a result of spaceflight, with the results presumably attributable to some aspect of weightlessness (132,146,186,200,257).…”

Section: Role Of Gravity In Basic Biological Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Space Microbiology

Horneck

Klaus

Mancinelli

2010

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

545

489

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SUMMARY The responses of microorganisms (viruses, bacterial cells, bacterial and fungal spores, and lichens) to selected factors of space (microgravity, galactic cosmic radiation, solar UV radiation, and space vacuum) were determined in space and laboratory simulation experiments. In general, microorganisms tend to thrive in the space flight environment in terms of enhanced growth parameters and a demonstrated ability to proliferate in the presence of normally inhibitory levels of antibiotics. The mechanisms responsible for the observed biological responses, however, are not yet fully understood. A hypothesized interaction of microgravity with radiation-induced DNA repair processes was experimentally refuted. The survival of microorganisms in outer space was investigated to tackle questions on the upper boundary of the biosphere and on the likelihood of interplanetary transport of microorganisms. It was found that extraterrestrial solar UV radiation was the most deleterious factor of space. Among all organisms tested, only lichens (Rhizocarpon geographicum and Xanthoria elegans) maintained full viability after 2 weeks in outer space, whereas all other test systems were inactivated by orders of magnitude. Using optical filters and spores of Bacillus subtilis as a biological UV dosimeter, it was found that the current ozone layer reduces the biological effectiveness of solar UV by 3 orders of magnitude. If shielded against solar UV, spores of B. subtilis were capable of surviving in space for up to 6 years, especially if embedded in clay or meteorite powder (artificial meteorites). The data support the likelihood of interplanetary transfer of microorganisms within meteorites, the so-called lithopanspermia hypothesis.

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Section: Role Of Gravity In Basic Biological Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Space Microbiology

Horneck

Klaus

Mancinelli

2010

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

545

489

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“…However, the precise individual contribution of these forces on particles or microbes in the RWV is not clear and requires further research. We refer the reader to some excellent reviews that extensively discuss the technical aspects of the forces that affect growth in the RWV environment (33,42,58,59,61,105). There are two compelling reasons why the RWV growth environment is a microgravity analogue.…”

Section: Rotating-wall Vessel Culture Apparatus and The Low-shear Modmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fluid mechanics that affect objects in the RWV have been evaluated in detail (42,58,82,105). Basically, particles or cells in the RWV are in a state of constant fluid suspension such that hydrodynamic forces offset the gravitational sedimentation of the bacteria in the reactor, allowing the organism to fall at a constant terminal velocity without being allowed to settle on the bottom of the apparatus (Fig.…”

Section: Rotating-wall Vessel Culture Apparatus and The Low-shear Modmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The RWV is essentially an optimized form of suspension culture and consists of a hollow disk or cylinder that is completely filled with medium (no bubbles, i.e., "zero headspace") and rotates on an axis parallel to the ground (and perpendicular to the gravitational force vector) ( Fig. 1) (42,58,82,105). The result is solid-body rotation of the medium within and a constant rotation normal to the gravitational field that results in an environmental culture condition in which the gravitational vectors are randomized over the surface of the cells.…”

Section: Rotating-wall Vessel Culture Apparatus and The Low-shear Modmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Microbial Responses to Microgravity and Other Low-Shear Environments

Nickerson

Ott

Wilson

et al. 2004

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

314

348

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Microbial adaptation to environmental stimuli is essential for survival. While several of these stimuli have been studied in detail, recent studies have demonstrated an important role for a novel environmental parameter in which microgravity and the low fluid shear dynamics associated with microgravity globally regulate microbial gene expression, physiology, and pathogenesis. In addition to analyzing fundamental questions about microbial responses to spaceflight, these studies have demonstrated important applications for microbial responses to a ground-based, low-shear stress environment similar to that encountered during spaceflight. Moreover, the low-shear growth environment sensed by microbes during microgravity of spaceflight and during ground-based microgravity analogue culture is relevant to those encountered during their natural life cycles on Earth. While no mechanism has been clearly defined to explain how the mechanical force of fluid shear transmits intracellular signals to microbial cells at the molecular level, the fact that cross talk exists between microbial signal transduction systems holds intriguing possibilities that future studies might reveal common mechanotransduction themes between these systems and those used to sense and respond to low-shear stress and changes in gravitation forces. The study of microbial mechanotransduction may identify common conserved mechanisms used by cells to perceive changes in mechanical and/or physical forces, and it has the potential to provide valuable insight for understanding mechanosensing mechanisms in higher organisms. This review summarizes recent and future research trends aimed at understanding the dynamic effects of changes in the mechanical forces that occur in microgravity and other low-shear environments on a wide variety of important microbial parameters

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“…Complex tissue-like 3D constructs, different cell types from various origins and various intact tissue explants have been demonstrated, by our group and others, to be kept efficiently in culture by these bioreactors, even for long periods of time (Unsworth & Lelkes, 1998;Hammond & Hammond, 2001;Vunjak-Novakovic et al, 2002;Nickerson et al, 2007;Cosmi et al, 2009;Steimberg et al, 2009Mazzoleni et al, 2011). Figure 5 shows selected examples of RCCS TM -based tissue culture methods, developed and optimised by our group, and their advantages.…”

Section: Bioreactors and Relative Microgravity Conditionmentioning

confidence: 99%