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Effects of microgravity on vestibular development and function in rats: Genetics and environment
Journal article   Open access

Effects of microgravity on vestibular development and function in rats: Genetics and environment

April E Ronca, Bernd Fritzsch, Jeffrey R Alberts and Laura L Bruce
Korean journal of biological sciences, Vol.4(3), pp.215-221
01/01/2000
DOI: 10.1080/12265071.2000.9647547
PMID: 12760372
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https://doi.org/10.1080/12265071.2000.9647547View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Our anatomical and behavioral studies of embryonic rats that developed in microgravity suggest that the vestibular sensory system, like the visual system, has genetically mediated processes of development that establish crude connections between the periphery and the brain. Environmental stimuli also regulate connection formation including terminal branch formation and fine-tuning of synaptic contacts. Axons of vestibular sensory neurons from gravistatic as well as linear acceleration receptors reach their targets in both microgravity and normal gravity, suggesting that this is a genetically regulated component of development. However, microgravity exposure delays the development of terminal branches and synapses in gravistatic but not linear acceleration-sensitive neurons and also produces behavioral changes. These latter changes reflect environmentally controlled processes of development.
Vestibular development Genetics Environment Behavior Gravity

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