Robots and Humans in Space Flight: Technology, Evolution, and Interplanetary Travel

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Launius ◽  
Howard McCurdy
Keyword(s):  
Space Flight ◽  
Technology Evolution ◽  
Interplanetary Travel

Preliminary Report of a Comparative Study of Seminiferous Tubular Epithelium from Rats Flown on Cosmos 1887 and SL3

1988 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 276-277
Author(s):  
Walter J. Sapp ◽  
D.E. Philpott ◽  
C.S. Williams ◽  
K. Kato ◽  
J. Stevenson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Space Flight ◽  
Physiological Response ◽  
Preliminary Report ◽  
Complete Recovery ◽  
Environmental Constraints ◽  
Tubular Epithelium ◽  
Testicular Weight ◽  
Testicular Morphology ◽  
Normal Offspring ◽  
Rats And Mice

Space flight, with its unique environmental constraints such as immobilization, decreased and increased pressures, and radiation, is known to affect testicular morphology and spermatogenesis. Selye, summarized the manifestations of physiological response to nonspecific stress and he pointed out that atrophy of the gonads always occurred. Reports of data collected from two dogs flown in space for 22 days (Cosmos 110) indicate that there was an increase of 30 to 70% atypical spermatozoa when compared to ground based controls. Seventy-five days after the flight the abnormalities had decreased to the high normal value of 30% and mating of these dogs after this period produced normal offspring, suggesting complete recovery. Effects of immobilization and increased gravity were investigated by spinning rats and mice at 2x g for 8-9 weeks. A decrease in testicular weight was noted in spun animals when compared to controls. Immobilization has been show to cause arrest of spermatogenesis in Macaca meminstrins.

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