Sea urchin fertilization during a KC-135 parabolic flight.
For long-term exposure to space it is crucial to understand the underlying mechanisms for altered physiological functions. We have chosen the sea urchin system to study the effects of microgravity on various cellular processes visible during fertilization and subsequent development. We report here on experiments performed on NASA's KC-135 during parabolic flight trajectories to validate procedures to be implemented as part of the first Aquatic Research Facility Space Shuttle experiment on STS-77.
Schatten
H
H
Dept. of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA.
Zoran
S
S
Levine
H G
HG
Anderson
K
K
Chakrabarti
A
A
D000818:Animals; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005306:Fertilization / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010063:Ovum; D012617:Sea Urchins; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013026:Space Flight; D013094:Spermatozoa; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014817:Vitelline Membrane; D014893:Weightlessness
D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D012967:Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate