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First published online July 20, 2006
Journal of Experimental Biology 209, 2847-2858 (2006)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2006
doi: 10.1242/jeb.02298

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Microgravity-induced modifications of the vestibuloocular reflex in Xenopus laevis tadpoles are related to development and the occurrence of tail lordosis

Eberhard R. Horn

Gravitational Physiology, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081 Ulm, Germany

e-mail: eberhard.horn{at}uni-ulm.de

Accepted 25 April 2006

During space flights, tadpoles of the clawed toad Xenopus laevis occasionally develop upward bended tails (tail lordosis). The tail lordosis disappears after re-entry to 1g within a couple of days. The mechanisms responsible for the induction of the tail lordosis are unknown; physical conditions such as weight de-loading or physiological factors such as decreased vestibular activity in microgravity might contribute. Microgravity (µg) also exerts significant effects on the roll-induced vestibuloocular reflex (rVOR). The rVOR was used to clarify whether tail lordosis is caused by physiological factors, by correlating the occurrence of µg-induced tail lordosis with the extent of µg-induced rVOR modifications.

Post-flight recordings from three space flights (D-2 Spacelab mission, STS-55 in 1993; Shuttle-to-Mir mission SMM-06, STS-84 in 1997; French Soyuz taxi flight Andromède to ISS in 2001) were analyzed in these experiments. At onset of microgravity, tadpoles were at stages 25-28, 33-36 or 45. Parameters tested were rVOR gain (ratio between the angular eye movement and the lateral 30° roll) and rVOR amplitude (maximal angular postural change of the eyes during a 360° lateral roll).

A ratio of 22-84% of tadpoles developed lordotic tails, depending on the space flight. The overall observation was that the rVOR of tadpoles with normal tails was either not affected by microgravity, or it was enhanced. In contrast, the rVOR of lordotic animals always revealed a depression. In particular, during post-flight days 1-11, tadpoles with lordotic tails from all three groups (25-28, 33-36 and 45) showed a lower rVOR gain and amplitude than the 1g-controls. The rVOR gain and amplitude of tadpoles from the groups 25-28 and 33-36 that developed normal tails was not affected by microgravity while the rVOR of µg-tadpoles from the stage-45 group with normal tails revealed a significant rVOR augmentation. In conclusion: (1) the vestibular system of tadpoles with lordotic tails is developmentally retarded by microgravity; (2) after a critical status of vestibular maturation obtained during the appearance of first swimming, microgravity activates an adaptation mechanism that causes a sensitization of the vestibular system.

Key words: development, space flight, adaptation, critical period, clawed toad, Xenopus laevis