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Swimming kinematics and respiratory behaviour of Xenopus laevis larvae raised in altered gravityWe examined the respiratory behaviours and swimming kinematics of Xenopus laevis tadpoles hatched in microgravity (Space Shuttle), simulated microgravity (clinostat) and hypergravity (3 g centrifuge). All observations were made in the normal 1 g environment. Previous research has shown that X. laevis raised in microgravity exhibit abnormalities in their lungs and vestibular system upon return to 1 g. The tadpoles raised in true microgravity exhibited a significantly lower tailbeat frequency than onboard 1 g centrifuge controls on the day of landing (day0), but this behaviour normalized within 9 days. The two groups did not differ significantly in buccal pumping rates. Altered buoyancy in the space-flight microgravity tadpoles was indicated by an increased swimming angle on the day after landing (day1). Tadpoles raised in simulated microgravity differed to a greater extent in swimming behaviours from their 1 g controls. The tadpoles raised in hypergravity showed no substantive effects on the development of swimming or respiratory behaviours, except swimming angle. Together, these results show that microgravity has a transient effect on the development of locomotion in X. laevis tadpoles, most notably on swimming angle, indicative of stunted lung development. On the basis of the behaviours we studied, there is no indication of neuromuscular retardation in amphibians associated with embryogenesis in microgravity.
Document ID
20040172688
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Fejtek, M.
(Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
Souza, K.
Neff, A.
Wassersug, R.
Date Acquired
August 22, 2013
Publication Date
June 1, 1998
Publication Information
Publication: The Journal of experimental biology
Volume: 201 ( Pt 12)
ISSN: 0022-0949
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
Flight Experiment
manned
STS-47 Shuttle Project
short duration
NASA Center ARC
NASA Experiment Number 178256
NASA Discipline Developmental Biology

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