What Is the Effect of Microgravity on the

Development of Murine Myoblasts?

Student Spaceflight Experiment Program2010-2011

Alexis Albert, Grace Dry, Tyler Jackson, Jake O’Brien, Madison Russell, Leanne Sorrel

Copper Mill ElementaryZachary Community School District

Zachary, Louisiana

Murine Myoblasts

• Murine refers to mice.• Myoblasts are precursors to myocytes,

which are also known as muscle cells.• Myoblasts eventually fuse together

creating multinucleated fibers called myotubes, which form muscles.

• The formation of myotubes is called myogenesis.

• Myoblasts fusing into myotubes video

The Process of Myogenesis

• A: An attachedmyoblast

• B: Semi- confluency

• C: Confluency• D: Formation

of myotubes

Experiment Question and Hypothesis

• What is the effect of microgravity on the development rate of murine myoblasts?

• Will the myoblasts fuse to form myotubes at the same rate in microgravity as they do on Earth?

• Will the myoblasts use the same amount of nutrients in microgravity as they do on Earth?

• The team hypothesized that the process of myogenesis will occur slower in microgravity.

Working with Louisiana State University and the Reproductive

Biology Center

Working with Louisiana State University and the Reproductive

Biology Center

Analyzing Samples• Glucose level before flight: 519 mg/DL• Glucose level of microgravity sample: 449 mg/DL• Glucose level of control: 563.3 mg/DL

Conclusion• Due to the variability of measurement, the team determined that

there were no significant differences between the two samples, thus concluded that microgravity does not have an effect on murine myoblast development.

• There were no significant differences in the glucose intake levels between the samples exposed to microgravity and those kept on Earth.

• Bacteria growth in the samples exposed to microgravity may have altered the results. The control samples were also compromised and had to be run again at a different time than the experiment, thus they were prepared from a different group of cells, thus the control can no longer be used as a reliable comparison. To ensure validity of the observations, additional replicates of the experiment should be run.

• The team is focused on the achievement of successfully sending myoblasts into orbit and having them return!