Animal models in space research Merel Van Walleghem [email protected] Copyright © 2014 1 SCK•CEN Spaceflight history Preparation for human spaceflight Is the space environment suitable for human presence? Copyright © 2014 2 SCK•CEN Spaceflight history Preparation for human spaceflight 1783 st Is the1 passengersspace environment in a hot air balloon suitable: duck, for rooster human & sheep presence? All 3 animals survived the flight Humans followed experienced the symptoms of hypoxia Copyright © 2014 3 SCK•CEN Spaceflight history Preparation for human spaceflight 1950’s Is the Decision space environmentmade to explore suitable space for human presence? Extensive animal experimentation in both US and Soviet/Russian space programs in order to Test the country’s ability to launch a living organism into space and bring it back alive and unharmed Collect medical information and test the concepts used to place humans in space Copyright © 2014 4 SCK•CEN Animals in space Suborbital flights: V2 rocket 1946 First animals intentionally sent into space Fruit flies Explore effects of radiation exposure at high altitudes Copyright © 2014 5 SCK•CEN Animals in space Suborbital flights: V2 rocket 1948-1949 Albert I - IV Anaesthesized monkeys Monitoring vital functions during flight I died before launch because of breathing difficulties II, III & IV survived the flight but died due to parachute recovery system failure Copyright © 2014 6 SCK•CEN Animals in space Suborbital flights: V2 rocket 1950 Mouse Photographed in flight but did not survive impact Record the conscious reactions of an animal to changing gravity conditions mouse retained normal muscular coordination and at ease when inverted as when upright Copyright © 2014 7 SCK•CEN Animals in space Suborbital flights: Aerobee rocket 1951 Albert V Rocket crashed after parachute failure Albert VI + 11 mice Albert VI died after landing due to hyperthermia awaiting the recovery team 2 mice in rotating drum 1 mouse vestibular apparatus removed fine in space 1 mouse normal appeared disturbed Copyright © 2014 8 SCK•CEN Animals in space Suborbital flights: Aerobee rocket 1952 2 Phillipine macaque monkeys, Patricia & Michael + 2 white mice, Mildred & Albert Patricia in seated position and Michael lying test differences during rapid acceleration Successful flight and capsule recovered safely by descending with a parachute = big step forward in American space flight Copyright © 2014 9 SCK•CEN Animals in space Suborbital flight Soviet R1 rockets Soviets decided to use dogs Thought to be less agitated in flight Could endure longer periods of inactivity than other animals Easy to train: simulate extreme g forces in centrifuges Copyright © 2014 10 SCK•CEN Animals in space Suborbital flight Soviet R1 rockets 1951 2 dogs, Tsygan and Dezik First living higher organisms successfully recovered from a spaceflight Other Russian dog flights followed with varying degrees of success Copyright © 2014 11 SCK•CEN Animals in space Soviet Sputnik-2 1957 Dog, Laika First organism to orbit the Earth Electrodes to monitor vital signs Pressurized cabin Food and water dispensed in a gelatinized form Although she did not survive, her flight proved that a living organism could be launched into orbit and survive microgravity Copyright © 2014 12 SCK•CEN Animals in space NASA programme – Jupiter flights 1959 Rhesus/squirrel monkeys, Able & Baker First monkeys to successfully return to Earth after travelling in space Copyright © 2014 13 SCK•CEN Animals in space 1960s 1961 Chimpanzee, Ham Trained to pull levers to receive banana pellets and avoid electric shocks Demonstrated the ability to perform tasks in µG First human in space & to orbit the Earth Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin Copyright © 2014 14 SCK•CEN Animals in space 1960s France Rat, Hector 2 cats, Felix & Félicette 2 monkeys, Martine & Pierrette China Mice and rats 2 dogs Copyright © 2014 15 SCK•CEN Animals in space 1960s After the Moon landing in July 1969 Role of animals in space downgraded to biological research payloads Help to understand the long term health effects associated with the space environment Copyright © 2014 16 SCK•CEN Animals in space 1960s Apollo 1966 Fruit flies, parasitic wasps, beetles and frog eggs along with bacteria, amoebae, plants & fungi 1970 2 bullfrogs better understand space motion sickness 1972 5 pocket mice housed in a self-sustaining, hermetically sealed, cylindrical aluminum canister study space radiation hazards Copyright © 2014 17 SCK•CEN Animals in space 1970s 1973 US Skylab 3 Arabella 1st spider webs Pocket mice study circadian rhythm Mummichog 1st fish USSR Bion programme st Tortoises, 1 rats, mummichog, zebra fish, tritons, insects Copyright © 2014 18 SCK•CEN Bion programme 1966-1996 Unmanned biosatellites in near-earth orbit International Platform for launching fundamental space biology and biomedical experiments into space Primates, tortoises, rodents, insects, cells, plants & fungi Copyright © 2014 19 SCK•CEN Orbital Space Biology Laboratories Saluyt, MIR and Space Shuttle Longer and longer Russian missions aboard the Saluyt & Mir stations US Space Shuttle program Spacelab (1983-1998) and Spacehab (1993-2007) modules More suitable environment for space biology research including animal holding facilities, refrigerators/freezers, measurement devices and workstations Copyright © 2014 20 SCK•CEN Orbital Space Biology Laboratories International Space Station ESA Columbus module Contains the Biolab and the European physiology module for biological experiments JAXA Kibo module Largest single ISS module Copyright © 2014 21 SCK•CEN Continued research on animals in space Throughout the last decades, research was performed on a wide variety of animals to study the effect of microgravity on biology including monkeys newts dogs fruit flies crickets snails mice fish rats insect eggs frogs quail eggs and more Copyright © 2014 22 SCK•CEN The search for the best animal model Determining the best animal model not always straightforward ! Take into account operational and logistic constraints such as size, mission duration and maintenance requirements Bacteria and cell cultures genetic changes related to µg easy to maintain and short cycle Aquatic species fertilisation and embryonic development gravity sensing Insects circadian rhythms Mammals human adaptation to space and health implications Copyright © 2014 23 SCK•CEN The search for the best animal model However, current trend smaller selection of highly characterised organisms = MODEL ORGANISMS C. Elegans Yeast E. Coli Fruit fly Zebrafish Mouse Copyright © 2014 24 SCK•CEN Copyright © 2014 25 SCK•CEN .