[Jejunum intersticium in mongolian gerbils after the flight on spacecraft Foton-M3].

Methods of light optical microscopy were used to explore histoarchitectonics, topography and tinctorial properties of the extracellular phase of fibers of jejunum wall intersticium in Mongolian gerbils following 12-day orbital flight aboard Foton-M3, ground-based simulation of the spaceflight factors in the KONTUR-L facility, and in the group of biological control Postflight destructive changes were found in reticulin fibers (type-III collagen) of villi stroma, intercrypt intersticium and submucosa. Local acidophilia and fiber homogenization formed in type I collagen present in the intestinal subserous layer, muscular layers endomysium and submucose against the background of progressing edema and arterial, venous plethora and lymphostasis. Elastic component of the intersticium was disarranged in the structures of internal elastic membrane of submucous vessels, fragmented and partly reduced. Simulation of the orbital factors, except for microgravity, in the KONTUR-L facility called forth similar, although less often and diffuse, changes in intersticium fibers. The results of examination of intestinal intersticium fibers in the vivarium control gerbils discovered expressed species characters that should be taken into account by investigators, especially when comparing with data obtained from other animal species.

[Tissue-specific reaction of the mucous coat of herbals' small gut under the influence of spaceflight factors on board biosat "Foton M3"].

Methods of light-optical microscopy, morpho- and cytometry and histochemisty were used to study the epithelial lining of herbal's small gut after 12-day flight in biosat "Foton M3". Changes in mucous coat histoarchitectonics included branching of villi and cystic lumps lined with prismatic epithelium. Shortening of the mucous membrane villi was accompanied by reduction of prismatic epithelium height, increase in the number of goblet cells and change of their dislocation, stimulation of excretion of biosynthesis products on the brush border surface pointing to impairment of the interstitial barrier function. Nothing evidenced change in mitotic index of the crypts epithelium in animals of the vivarium control, in the Kontur facility simulating the flight condition, and in the space flown herbals. There was a minor individual variability of changes in the epithelium mucous membrane due to the simulated flight factors.

[Rna content of gerbil hepatocytes after the flight aboard space platform Foton-M3].

The paper compares and contrasts the results of measuring the hepatocyte cytoplasm area and RNA content in 35 gerbils in three series of experiments, i.e. the vivarium control, modeled space flight (synchronous control) and exposure to the factors of 12-d Foton-M3 orbital flight. Central, intermediate and peripheral zones of hepatic lobes were subjected to histological and histochemical analyses to measure the hepatocyte cytoplasm area; the RNA content was determined from the level of cytoplasm basophilia after azure staining. Cytometric and cytophotometric investigations were performed using image analyzer Video-7-Test-Morpho. In the vivarium animals, hepatocytes with the largest cytoplasm localized predominantly in the intermediate and central zones of the lobes. Judging from the results of microdensitometry, the RNA content was particularly high in binucleate hepatocytes of the intermediate zone. In the synchronous control, hepatocytes tended to grow in size, in the peripheral zone specifically, whereas RNA content was largely equal no matter hepatocyte topography. After space flight, cytoplasm enlargement transcended this process in the vivarium animals. The cytoplasm RNA content along the entire liver parenchyma made a significant decrease equally as compared with the vivarium and synchronous control animals.

[Morphofunctional state of hepatocytes nuclear apparatus in Mongolian herbils after the flight on space apparatus Foton-M3].

Morphofunctional state of hepatocytes nuclear apparatus was analyzed in the liver of Mongolian gerbils Meriones unguiculatus returned from 12-d space flight of Foton-M3 (SF) and their vivarium and ground synchronous controls. Volume, ploidy and number of hepatocyte nuclei, nucleolus dimensions and number as well as contacts with karyolemma were determined in the central, intermediate and peripheral areas of the liver classical lobe. Also, total number of mitoses and amitoses was determined in the liver parenchyma. The vivarium control animals displayed specifics of the nucleus apparatus structure that depended on intralobe topography. Based on the selected criteria, high functional activity was characteristic of cells in the intermediate area. According to the criteria, nuclear apparatus in the synchronous control tended to down the functional activity The adaptive adjustment of nuclei in SF seemed to have been initiated by changes in the hepatic blood flow: volumes of hepatocyte nuclei and nucleoli increased as did the number of nuclei in cell, whereas ploidy made a decrease, especially in the intermediate area. Under the SF conditions, particularly important compensatory mechanism for the liver function was intensification of amitosis and consequent increase of the population of dinuclear hepatocytes.

[On the effect of centrifugal force upon antitumor resistance of organism].

The influence of the centrifugal force of 2 g combined with attendant factors, such as noise and electromagnetic field (in all ten exposures, 5 min each, at three- to four-day intervals), on tumor growth in C57Bl/6 mice has been studied. It was shown that the combined treatment leads to an enhancement of carcinogenesis. Increasing the centrifugal force to 3 g and the duration of exposure to 15 and 30 min increases the antitumor resistance of the organism and the life-span. It is assumed that the effect is related to the influence of the centrifugal force on metabolism and to the regularities of adaptation responses of the organism.

[Gerbil experiment in the flight of spacecraft "Foton-M3"].

The 12-d mission of Russian spacecraft Foton-M3 in September of 2007 was used as an opportunity to fly an experiment with 12 male gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) at the age of 4-4.5 mos. and mean body weight of 51.6 grams. Considering the behavior pattern of these animals, selection and preparation of the experimental groups continued in the course of 2.5-3 months. The flight animals were contained in module Kontur-L outfitted with a self-sustained system of life support. In orbit, the animals received a palletized hydrogenous feed. The physiological and hygienic parameters of the gerbil environment during the flight complied with the official standards. Analysis of the video recorded behavior of animals in microgravity showed that virtually throughout the flight they moved chaotically along the cage never attempting to stabilize position catching at the wire netting of the cage. The animals were decapitated in 21-24 hours after landing. The investigations showed that structural and functional changes in gerbil organs and tissues were generally of the same type as in rats following fights of comparable duration. However, some differences between the animals were attributed to the specifics of water turnover in gerbils.

[Handling and maintenance of gerbils during the spacecraft Foton-M3 mission].

Pressurized low-sized module Kontur with an independent life support system (LSS) was developed by the Institute of Biomedical Problems cooperatively with the Special Design Bureau of Experimental Equipment to house gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) aboard robotic technology-purpose spacecraft. Design of the module precludes pollution of the environment The fully equipped module weighs 69 kg; average daily power consumption is 62 watts. The environmental parameters for 12 animals flown on Foton-M3 in the period of September 14-26, 2007 were controlled within the following ranges: pO2 - 143-156 mm Hg, (mean 150 mm Hg), pCO2 - 0.76 mm Hg maximum (mean 0.64 mm Hg), temperature - 23-28 degrees C (mean 26.7 degrees C), relative humidity - 29% and 57% at the beginning and end of the flight, respectively (mean 39%). The animals consumed the palletized food prepared of natural products with a moisture content of approx. 20%. The day-night periods were 12 hrs. long. The daytime video recording of the animals went on continuously in the throughout the flight. The experiment showed that the module meets the requirements of experiments with mammals aboard returnable robotic spacecraft and piloted space stations. At the moment, the model is being redesigned for a 30-day BION-M1 mission.

[Glycogen content in gerbil's liver following the spacecraft Foton-M3 mission].

Glycogen cytochemistry and distribution in hepatocytes of the classic liver lobules were studied in three groups of gerbils Meriones unguiculatus: vivarium, synchronous control and flown in the 12-d Foton-M3 mission. The control animals were shown to have the central glycogen distribution with a large pool of polysaccharides found in hepatocytes of the pericentral and intermediate lobules and a small pool in the periportal area. Glycogen in hepatocyte plasm was within the physiological norm in the alpha- and beta-granules, typically localized on the cell periphery. Exposure to the spaceflight conditions decreased significantly glycogen concentrations in each functional region of the hepatic lobules and reduced the gradient of polysaccharide distribution from the portal triads toward the central vein. In parallel, high glycogen heterogeneity formed in adjacent hepatocytes and loci. The presence of glycosomes evidenced disturbance of carbohydrates metabolism. In addition, intracellular topography of glycogen granules in cytoplasm was altered. Trends of glycogen in gerbils of the synchronous control were similar to the space flown animals but much less pronounced.

[Programme "BION": from the past to the future].

In the period when Russia had embarked on construction of long-duration orbital stations, few data was collected about potential damaging effects of space flight (SF) factors, first of all microgravity, on structure and functions of various tissues, organs and physiological systems. At the same time designers of space vehicles requested from doctors and biologists the scientific substantiation of the feasibility of long-term SF by humans. Recognizing the necessity of a comprehensive approach to the issue, it was decided to fulfill fundamental and applied biological investigations aboard dedicated satellites of the BION series. Implementation of Programme BION and development of associated equipment required cooperation of dozens of organizations. Later on, investigations from Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, China, Poland, Romania, USA, France and Czechoslovakia joined in the programme. Eleven biosats were launched successfully in the period between 1973 and 1986. Cell and tissues cultures, single-celled organisms, insects, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, bird eggs and mammals, such as Wistar rats and primates Macaca Rhesus, were flown in space 5 to 22.5 days. Data from these investigations helped, on the one hand, obtain further insight into the patterns of structural and functional reactions of living systems to the SF conditions and, on the other, contribute to finding practical solutions for the system of crew medical support. The Federal space research programme of Russia for 2006-2015 provides development and launch of 3 biosats BION-M. The paper presents conceivable scenarios of researches in these flights.

[Problems of exobiology: the origin of life on Earth]. / Problemy ekzobiologii: vozniknovenie zhizni na Zemle.

The basic problem of exobiology is origin and evolution of life as a space phenomenon. Consideration is given to the facts for the space origin, spreading in the interstellar space of and invasion of the surface of planets by organic compounds, constituents of archetypes of living systems. The authors bring up to discussion the issues of life development under the conditions of Earth, and formation of the main properties of the living organisms differing in the level of organization. Outlined are some international projects on exobiological research in experiments with bio-objects on space platforms.

[Comparative analysis of changes in rats organisms exposed to microgravity and head-down suspension]. / Sravnitel'nyi analiz izmenenii, razvivaiushchikhsia u krys v nevesomosti i pri vyveshivanii v antiortostaticheskom polozhenii.

Comparative analysis of metabolic and structural shifts in rats following 14 days of microgravity aboard biosatellite Cosmos-2044 and their tail-suspended synchronous controls gave evidence that suspension-induced deprivation of hind limbs of support loading yields inherent to microgravity shifts the endocrine control of energy, plastic, and mineral metabolism. The conclusion has been drawn that tail-suspension can be used as a model of the microgravity effects on the musculoskeletal apparatus and the endocrine systems controlling metabolism in muscles and bones.

[The contribution of space biology and medicine to the solution of ecological problems]. / Vklad kosmicheskoi biologii i meditsine v reshenie problem ékologii.

Space biology and medicine solving the problems of space exploration by a man is thereby contributed to the solution of the ecological problems. Theoretically, it is an enrichment of the existing ideas of the biosphere and biological consequences of an anthropogenic effect on the biosphere. Practically, these are: the novel means and methods of the environmental monitoring; the databases of the ecology of a healthy man; the countermeasures and methods to prevent and protect a man from the impacts of unfavourable environmental factors.

[Experiments using rats on Kosmos biosatellites: morphologic and biochemical studies]. / Eksperimenty s krysami na biosputnikakh "Kosmos": morfologicheskie i biokhimicheskie issledovaniia.

Results of morphological and biochemical investigations of rats flown on Cosmos biosatellites are discussed. It is emphasized that most changes occurring during exposure to microgravity are directly or indirectly related to lower musculoskeletal loads which in turn produce deconditioning of different physiological systems and organism as a whole. It is concluded that this deconditioning is associated with both metabolic and structural changes.

[Objectives and tasks of projects of the medical laboratory in space "Medilab"]. / O tseliakh i zadachakh proekta kosmicheskoi meditsinskoi laboratorii "Medilab".

This paper discusses goals and objectives of the Soviet project to build a space medical laboratory "Medilab". Special attention is given to the design, structure and mathematical support of the dedicated biomedical laboratory.

[The Cosmos biosatellite: achievements and research outlook]. / Biosputnik "Kosmos": nekotorye itogi i perspektivy issledovanii.

This is an overview of the results of biological and physiological investigations in flights of biosatellites of the Cosmos series. A detailed description of biomedical equipment is presented. The major lines of research to be performed in the near and far future are discussed.