Control of cell differentiation and morphogenesis of amphibian culture cells

We will investigate effects of microgravity for morphogenesis on gene expression level. There are several kinds of amphibian cultured cell lines. A-6 cell line is derived from kidney and A-8 reference cell line is derived from liver. They show different types of cell differentiation and morphogenesis. When they are cultured under microgravity, we observe the shape and state of the cells using phase-contrast microscope and compare gene expression from fixed recovery cells by RT-PCR. We have already cloned several genes which are specific for A-6 or A-8 cell lines. At the same condition, we examine the specific gene expression from frozen recovery medium and the useful production of proteins such as activin and follistatin. There are possibility of expression of unidentified genes in microgravity cultivation, so we will look for unidentified genes by comparing with gene library between ground and microgravity.

Life Cycle of Higher Plants under Microgravity Conditions

Gravity strongly influences developmental processes throughout the life cycle of higher plants on earth. This research is undertaken to cultivate on JEM Arabidopsis thaliana, whose life cycle is relatively short. The controlling mechanism of developmental processes in Arabidopsis has been physiologically and genetically studied with various mutants and transgenic plants on earth. The experiments with Arabidopsis under microgravity environment on JEM will give us a lot of important and useful information for improving the productivity of crops in space as well as for understanding the role of gravity in regulating the life cycle of higher plants.