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Morphological Changes in Rat Vestibular System Following WeightlessnessMammalian gravity receptors (maculas) are morphologically organized for weighted, parallel distributed processing of information. There are two basic circuits: 1) highly channeled, type I cell to calyx; and 2) distributed modifying, type II cells to calyces and processes. The latter circuit should be the more adaptable since it modifies final output. To test this hypothesis, rats were flown in microgravity for 9 days aboard a space shuttle and euthanized shortly after landing. Hair cells and ribbon synapses from maculas of 3 flight and 3 ground control rats were studied ultrastructurally in blocks of 50 serial sections. Synapses increased by approximately 41% in type I cells and by approximately 55% in type II cells in flight animals. There was a shift toward the spherular form of ribbon synapse in both types of hair cells in flight animals. Current findings tend to support the stated hypothesis and indicate that mature utricular hair cells retain synaptic plasticity, permitting adaptation to an altered gravitational environment.
Document ID
19970017304
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Ross, Muriel D.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Date Acquired
September 8, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1993
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Vestibular Research
Publisher: Pergamon Press Ltd.
Volume: 3
ISSN: 0957-4271
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
NASA-TM-112457
NAS 1.15:112457
Accession Number
97N71589
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NIH-MH-47305-01
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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