AbstractLong-term space flight results in significant bone loss in humans. However, it remains to be shown how microgravity affects the expression of genes involved in modeling and remodeling of bone material in vivo. For these analyses, animal models are instrumental to study alterations at the molecular and cellular level. Although it is not known at present, whether fish loose bone in microgravity, they show many experimental advantages to approach these questions in vivo. Here, we report for the first time that living Medaka larvae can be used in hypergravitation and clinorotation experiments to study the effect of altered gravity on gene expression in a whole-animal situation. Living Medaka larvae at 1 day post-hatching were exposed to hypergravity and simulated microgravity for 24hours (h) and the level of mRNA expression of skeletal regulators was determined by real-time RT-PCR. No effect of altered gravity was observed on the expression of osteoprotegerin (opg) genes that regulate osteoclast formation in humans. However, clinorotation resulted in a significant increase of expression of core binding factor α1 (cbfa1/runx2), a crucial regulator of osteoblast formation. Exposure to hypergravitation for 24h on the other hand had no effect on cbfa1/runx2 expression. This shows that cbfa1/runx2 responds to reduced gravity by expression level changes in vivo. Furthermore, it demonstrates that Medaka provides a valuable experimental model to study molecular mechanisms for compensating microgravity induced bone loss.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Simulated microgravity upregulates gene expression of the skeletal regulator Core binding Factor α1/Runx2 in Medaka fish larvae in vivo


    Contributors:
    Renn, J. (author) / Seibt, D. (author) / Goerlich, R. (author) / Schartl, M. (author) / Winkler, C. (author)

    Published in:

    Advances in Space Research ; 38 , 6 ; 1025-1031


    Publication date :

    2005-05-04


    Size :

    7 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English





    Development of the Fish Medaka in Microgravity

    United States; National Aeronautics and Space Administration | British Library Conference Proceedings | 1998



    Swimming Behavior of Larval Medaka Fish under Microgravity

    Furukawa, R. / Ijiri, K. / The Committee on Space Research | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2002