title: Weightlessness affects cytoskeleton of rat utricular hair cells during maturation in vitro.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate whether an altered gravitational environment affected the phenotype of vestibular hair cells during maturation. We developed, using an automated incubator, a 3D culture of utricles from newborn rats. These cultures were subjected to weightlessness for 1 or 3 days, and then compared with control cultures developed in natural and induced 1G gravity. Immunocytochemistry for alpha-tubulin and calretinin revealed disorganisation of the microtubules and a loss of hair cell shape in cells subjected to weightlessness during maturation. We conclude that the lack of gravitational strain affected cytoskeletal dynamics, resulting in loss of the specific morphological phenotype of the cells.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U432, Université Montpellier II, 34095 Montpellier, France. gaboyard@univ-montp2.fr
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gaboyard
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Blanchard
authors.forename: Cécile
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Travo
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viso
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sans
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lehouelleur
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D064032:Calbindin 2; D046508:Culture Techniques; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D010641:Phenotype; D051381:Rats; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000032:analysis; D012444:Saccule and Utricle / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology*; D014404:Tubulin / Q000032:analysis; D014893:Weightlessness
chemical_list: C576512:Calb2 protein, rat; D064032:Calbindin 2; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D014404:Tubulin