Simulation of Microgravity by Magnetic Levitation and Random Positioning: Effect on Human A431 Cell Morphology

Moes, Maarten J. A.; Gielen, Jeroen C.; Bleichrodt, Robert-Jan; Loon, Jack J. W. A. van; Christianen, Peter C. M.; Boonstra, Johannes

doi:10.1007/s12217-010-9185-x

Cited by 22 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Similar changes in the structure of the actin network have been reported in ground‐based studies as in flight experiments (Fig. 1): reduction in width or amount of stress fibers (49–53), extended podia (49, 54, 55), perinuclear distribution (49, 54, 56), and decreased density (54, 59, 60) all confirm various observation in spaceflight experiments (overview in Table 2). However, there are differences, as well.…”

Section: Experimental Observations Of Cytoskeletal Changes During Simsupporting

confidence: 87%

The role of the cytoskeleton in sensing changes in gravity by nonspecialized cells

et al. 2013

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A large body of evidence indicates that single cells in vitro respond to changes in gravity, and that this response might play an important role for physiological changes at the organism level during spaceflight. Gravity can lead to changes in cell proliferation, differentiation, signaling, and gene expression. At first glance, gravitational forces seem too small to affect bodies with the size of a cell. Thus, the initial response to gravity is both puzzling and important for understanding physiological changes in space. This also offers a unique environment to study the mechanical response of cells. In the past 2 decades, important steps have been made in the field of mechanobiology, and we use these advances to reevaluate the response of single cells to changes in gravity. Recent studies have focused on the cytoskeleton as initial gravity sensor. Thus, we review the observed changes in the cytoskeleton in a microgravity environment, both during spaceflight and in ground-based simulation techniques. We also evaluate to what degree the current experimental evidence supports the cytoskeleton as primary gravity sensor. Finally, we consider how the cytoskeleton itself could be affected by changed gravity. To make the next step toward understanding the response of cells to altered gravity, the challenge will be to track changes quantitatively and on short timescales.

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Section: Experimental Observations Of Cytoskeletal Changes During Simsupporting

confidence: 87%

The role of the cytoskeleton in sensing changes in gravity by nonspecialized cells

et al. 2013

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“…Even if a system can be levitated, it is not possible to separate the experience of a reduced gravity stimulation from the strong influences of the magnetic field itself, which has also been shown in the case of mammalian cell cultures as revealed by alterations of the actin systems by the magnetic field itself (Moes et al, 2011). We cannot exclude that the transfer of an object and thus its previous experience from a small local field (near geomagnetic) to a huge field in the tesla range induces new effects such as the induction of an electric current that might change, for example, the electrical potential of cell membranes.…”

Section: Levitationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of a High Magnetic Field on the Orientation of Gravitactic Unicellular Organisms—A Critical Consideration about the Application of Magnetic Fields to Mimic Functional Weightlessness

Hemmersbach

Simon²,

Waßer³

et al. 2014

Astrobiology

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The gravity-dependent behavior of Paramecium biaurelia and Euglena gracilis have previously been studied on ground and in real microgravity. To validate whether high magnetic field exposure indeed provides a groundbased facility to mimic functional weightlessness, as has been suggested earlier, both cell types were observed during exposure in a strong homogeneous magnetic field (up to 30 T) and a strong magnetic field gradient. While swimming, Paramecium cells were aligned along the magnetic field lines; orientation of Euglena was perpendicular, demonstrating that the magnetic field determines the orientation and thus prevents the organisms from the random swimming known to occur in real microgravity. Exposing Astasia longa, a flagellate that is closely related to Euglena but lacks chloroplasts and the photoreceptor, as well as the chloroplast-free mutant E. gracilis 1F, to a high magnetic field revealed no reorientation to the perpendicular direction as in the case of wild-type E. gracilis, indicating the existence of an anisotropic structure (chloroplasts) that determines the direction of passive orientation. Immobilized Euglena and Paramecium cells could not be levitated even in the highest available magnetic field gradient as sedimentation persisted with little impact of the field on the sedimentation velocities. We conclude that magnetic fields are not suited as a microgravity simulation for gravitactic unicellular organisms due to the strong effect of the magnetic field itself, which masks the effects known from experiments in real microgravity.

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“…ISS or rocket experiments and supported the detection of further effects of weightlessness on cells [47][48][49][50]. However, not all observations made with the help of these machines can be transferred directly to findings obtained under real microgravity [51,52]. Therefore, it is very important to perform experiments under real microgravity conditions in Space and to compare these results with data obtained with devices which can simulate microgravity on Earth.…”

Section: Facilities Of Research Under Simulated Weightlessnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Weightlessness on the Human Organism and Mammalian Cells

Pietsch¹,

Bauer²,

Egli

et al. 2011

CMM

129

110

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It has always been a desire of mankind to conquest Space. A major step in realizing this dream was the completion of the International Space Station (ISS). Living there for several months confirmed early observations of short-term spaceflights that a loss of gravity affects the health of astronauts. Space medicine tries to understand the mechanism of microgravity-induced health problems and to conceive potent countermeasures. There are four different aspects which make space medicine appealing: i) finding better strategies for adapting astronauts to weightlessness; ii) identification of microgravity-induced diseases (e.g. osteoporosis, muscle atrophy, cardiac problems and others); iii) defining new therapies to conquer these diseases which will benefit astronauts as well as people on Earth in the end; and iv) on top of that, unveiling the mechanisms of weightlessness-dependent molecular and cellular changes is a requirement for improving space medicine. In mammalian cells, microgravity induces apoptosis and alters the cytoskeleton and affects signal transduction pathways, cell differentiation, growth, proliferation, migration and adhesion. This review focused on gravi-sensitive signal transduction elements and pathways as well as molecular mechanisms in human cells, aiming to understand the cellular changes in altered gravity. Moreover, the latest information on how these changes lead to clinically relevant health problems and current strategies of countermeasures are reviewed.

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Simulation of Microgravity by Magnetic Levitation and Random Positioning: Effect on Human A431 Cell Morphology

Cited by 22 publications

References 44 publications

The role of the cytoskeleton in sensing changes in gravity by nonspecialized cells

The role of the cytoskeleton in sensing changes in gravity by nonspecialized cells

Impact of a High Magnetic Field on the Orientation of Gravitactic Unicellular Organisms—A Critical Consideration about the Application of Magnetic Fields to Mimic Functional Weightlessness

The Effects of Weightlessness on the Human Organism and Mammalian Cells

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