Hello,
I am currently searching for information on centrifuge-based research platforms for rodents, particularly those designed for mice or rats in studies related to microgravity simulation, hypergravity, or artificial gravity.
If you are familiar with any relevant platforms, facilities, publications, webpages, or equipment, I would be very grateful if you could share them.
It would be even better if you could provide links or images.
Thank you in advance.
Have you read up on JAXA’s MHU program?
Shiba, D., Mizuno, H., Yumoto, A. et al. Development of new experimental platform ‘MARS’—Multiple Artificial-gravity Research System—to elucidate the impacts of micro/partial gravity on mice. Sci Rep 7 , 10837 (2017). Development of new experimental platform ‘MARS’—Multiple Artificial-gravity Research System—to elucidate the impacts of micro/partial gravity on mice | Scientific Reports
This is the original paper on the platform, and since 2017 their ‘Mouse Habitat Unit’ has been used for a number of studies on the ISS:
https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/en/biz-lab/experiment/facility/pm/mhu/
https://osdr.nasa.gov/bio/repo/data/payloads/MHU-2
https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/en/biz-lab/experiment/theme/detail/001287.html
And here are 5 suggested papers to checkout using the MHU platform:
1. Mao, X.W., Byrum, S., Nishiyama, N.C., Pecaut, M.J., Sridharan, V., Boerma, M., Tackett, A.J., Shiba, D., Shirakawa, M., Takahashi, S., Delp, M.D. Impact of Spaceflight and Artificial Gravity on the Mouse Retina: Biochemical and Proteomic Analysis. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 19(9), 2546 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19092546 — MHU-1 mission; first NASA-JAXA tissue sharing under JP-US OP3; showed 64% increase in retinal endothelial cell apoptosis under microgravity, with artificial gravity providing protection
2. Tominari, T., Ichimaru, R., Taniguchi, K., Yumoto, A., Shirakawa, M., Matsumoto, C., Watanabe, K., Hirata, M., Itoh, Y., Shiba, D., Miyaura, C., Inada, M. Hypergravity and microgravity exhibited reversal effects on the bone and muscle mass in mice. Sci. Rep. 9, 6614 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42829-z — MHU-2 mission; first report of humerus bone loss under microgravity; ground 2G hypergravity experiments showed reversal effects
3. Okada, R., Fujita, S., Suzuki, R., Hayashi, T., Tsubouchi, H., Kato, C., Sadaki, S., Kanai, M., Fuseya, S., Inoue, Y., Jeon, H., Hamada, M., Kuno, A., Ishii, A., Tamaoka, A., Tanihata, J., Ito, N., Shiba, D., Shirakawa, M., Muratani, M., Kudo, T., Takahashi, S. Transcriptome analysis of gravitational effects on mouse skeletal muscles under microgravity and artificial 1 g onboard environment. Sci. Rep. 11, 9168 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88392-4 — MHU-1 mission; identified Cacng1 as a novel candidate gene for muscle atrophy; demonstrated AG prevented muscle gene expression changes
4. Matsumura, T., Noda, T., Muratani, M., Okada, R., Yamane, M., Isotani, A., Kudo, T., Takahashi, S., Ikawa, M. Male mice, caged in the International Space Station for 35 days, sire healthy offspring. Sci. Rep. 9, 13733 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50128-w — MHU-1 mission; showed sperm function and offspring viability were maintained after spaceflight, with healthy F1 generation via IVF
5. Yoshida, K., Fujita, S., Isotani, A., Kudo, T., Takahashi, S., Ikawa, M., Shiba, D., Shirakawa, M., Muratani, M., Ishii, S. Intergenerational effect of short-term spaceflight in mice. iScience 24(7), 102773 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2021.102773 — MHU-1 mission; found spaceflight altered ATF7 binding and small RNA expression in sperm, with offspring showing elevated DNA replication gene expression