NASA studies how to stay fit in space NASA studies how to stay fit in space (November 19, 2004)

Research aims to halt muscle atrophy on long missions

By Julie O'Shea

NASA scientists have successfully mapped the gene expression of the common fruit fly, a step which could lead to the development of new exercise techniques or drugs to counteract muscle atrophy on Earth and in space.

Fruit flies have long been used by scientists to study the effects of microgravity and radiation on biological organisms.

Viktor Stolc, the director of the Genome Research Facility at NASA Ames who oversaw the mapping project, said his team now hopes to examine the gene development of the fruit fly in outer space.

"In the absence of gravity, muscles atrophy," Stolc said. "This (experiment) could lead to seeing which genes are responsible for muscle atrophy."

NASA hopes to take the results of this experiment and find ways to counteract muscle atrophy, which is a common occurrence on long space missions, Stolc said. The experiment could benefit a future Mars mission, where astronauts will be exposed to microgravity, or near weightlessnes, and radiation for long periods of time.

Finding solutions to counteract muscle atrophy will also be useful to people suffering from or susceptible to this condition on Earth, according to Stolc.

Fruit flies, like mice, are often used to study diseases because their cell makeup is similar to that of humans. Mapping the gene expression of the insect was one step in the gene project, Stolc said.

Scientists essentially generated a complete record of a fly's gene activity from the larvae stage to adulthood. They discovered genes that change during the development of every stage of the fly's life cycle. This comprehensive mapping has never been done before, according to a statement released by Ames.

NASA researchers teamed with experts from Yale University, Columbia University and the University of Amsterdam on the three-year study. The results were published in the journal Science last month. @email:E-mail Julie O'Shea at joshea@mv-voice.com

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