[Histomorphometric investigation of the shin bones taken from Mongolian gerbille Meriones unguiculatus exposed on satellite "Foton-M" No. 3].
The 12-d space experiment on satellite "Foton-M" No. 3 was the first demonstration of the validity of Mongolian gerbille Meriones unguiculatus as an object, in addition to rats, for biological investigations. Histological and histomorphometric investigations of the shin bones on the next day after landing showed inhibition of the-longitudinal growth and incipient osteopenia. Loss in the spongy bone mass after exposure to microgravity was probably a result of slowed bone formation. It is still an open issue whether the enhanced bone resorption contributes to the osteopenia development, as the number of secondary spongiosis trabecules was too small to understand if the inhibition of bone formation and enhanced bone resorption due to the increased number or activity of osteoclasts were concurrent.
D000818:Animals; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005849:Gerbillinae / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000473:pathology; D013026:Space Flight; D013977:Tibia / Q000473:pathology*; D014893:Weightlessness / Q000009:adverse effects*