The influence of gravity on the process of development of animal systems.
The development of animal systems is described in terms of a series of overlapping phases: pattern specification; differentiation; growth; and aging. The extent to which altered (micro) gravity (g) affects those phases is briefly reviewed for several animal systems. As a model, amphibian egg/early embryo is described. Recent data derived from clinostat protocols indicates that microgravity simulation alters early pattern specification (dorsal/ventral polarity) but does not adversely influence subsequent morphogenesis. Possible explanations for the absence of catastrophic microgravity effects on amphibian embryogenesis are discussed.
Malacinski
G M
GM
Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405, USA.
Neff
A W
AW
D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D016764:Cell Polarity; D005260:Female; D006112:Gravitation; D008297:Male; D012399:Rotation; D013026:Space Flight; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D014893:Weightlessness; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation; D014981:Xenopus / Q000196:embryology*; D015053:Zygote / Q000502:physiology