GLG 598/490 xxxSpring '00

CHANGES IN GRAVITY

SUSPENSION CULTURES

EARLY FINDINGS

• Shortened lag phase, an increased duration of exponential growth, and an approximate doubling of the final cell population density in E. Coli

• A plethora of gene steady state level changes (1632/10,000 genes) were found in renal cells in space that were unrelated to the gene pattern in the best ground-based bioreactors (914/10,000 genes)

Spaceflight may significantly affect suspended cells via their fluid environment