Micro-Gravity CD-rom

Experiment

Experiment

A.001

Experiment

Fertilisation and cytoplasmic reorganisation in amphibian fixing, at four different times, the development of Xenopus laevis eggs fertilised

in microgravity.

Primary investigator

G.A. Ubbels

Co-investigator

T. Brom, J.M. Narraway, W. Berendsen, S. Kerkvliet

Contact point

Hubrecht Laboratory (NIOB)

Category

Life Sciences

Main research area

Developmental Biology

Keywords

Automatic Experiment Container
Biorack
Dorso-ventral polarity
Xenopus leavis
Egg preservation

Abstract

During oogenesis, the anuran amphibian egg acquires a characteristic yolk pattern, axially symmetrical about the animal/vegetal axis, which roughly foreshadows the main body axis of the embryo. Sperm penetration initiates dorso/ventral polarisation. Though the sperm ...... (full text)

Objectives

Investigation of the role of gravity in determination of the dorso-ventral axis in the developing embryo of Xenopus Laevis.

Reference

D1-BR 52 NL (A08/52NL)
ESA E238

Subject of investigation

Process research

Subject name

Amphibian egg fertilisation

Subject description

Xenopus laevis

Specific method

Automatic Experiment Container (in Biorack (B.001) Type I container)

Experiment procedure

Animal culture
On 5 October 1985, 25 preselected Xenopus laevis females and 30 males were transported from the Hubrecht laboratory amphibian facility in Utrecht to Hangar L at Kennedy Space Center. The whole journey lasted for only ..... (full text)

Results

1. The experiment failed, partly for biological reasons, and partly because of hardware malfunctions.
2. Recent experiments have shown that the rates of fertilisation and development of eggs from properly selected Xenopus laevis females, fertilised with sperm ...... (full text) ("Conclusions" from ESA-SP-1091)

Experiment