Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 73, Issue 2 10S-13S, Copyright © 1992 by American Physiological Society
Morphological studies of bone and tendon
S. B. Doty, E. R. Morey-Holton, G. N. Durnova and A. S. Kaplansky
Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, New York 10021.
The Soviet biosatellite COSMOS 2044 carried adult rats on a spaceflight
that lasted 13.8 days and was intended to repeat animal studies carried out
on COSMOS 1887. Skeletal tissue and tendon from animals flown on COSMOS
2044 were studied by light and electron microscopy, histochemistry, and
morphometric techniques. Studies were confined to the bone cells and
vasculature from the weight-bearing tibias. Results indicated that vascular
changes at the periosteal and subperiosteal region of the tibia were not
apparent by light microscopy or histochemistry. However, electron
microscopy indicated that vascular inclusions were present in bone samples
from the flight animals. A unique combination of microscopy and
histochemical techniques indicated that the endosteal osteoblasts from this
same mid-diaphyseal region demonstrated a slight (but not statistically
significant) reduction in bone cell activity. Electron-microscopic studies
of the tendons from metatarsal bones showed a collagen fibril
disorganization as a result of spaceflight. Thus changes described for
COSMOS 1887 were present in COSMOS 2044, but the changes ascribed to
spaceflight were not as evident.
