[Development of paste-type food for experiments with mice onboard unmanned spacecrafts].

One of the crucial issues of handling animals in space flight is availability of food and water supply systems. However, water supply for animal experiments onboard unmanned spacecrafts is a particularly formidable problem. To maintain laboratory mice in space flight, a paste-type food was formulated on the basis of the standard extruded combined food for laboratory rodents (PK-120) with a 18.

[Spinal marrow development in Japanese quail embryos and chicklings in the spaceflight environment].

Results of studying spinal marrow histogenesis in age varying Japanese quail embryos and chicklings whose embryonic development took place in microgravity are presented. Histological comparison of spinal cords showed retardation of morphogenetic development, lumber spine especially, in the group of flight embryos manifested as incomplete proliferative activity during migration processes and nervous cell differentiation. Like on earth, in space microgravity chicklings also hatched on day 17 of embryogenesis.

[Histogenesis of the liver of Japanese quail embryos developed in the conditions of microgravity].

The article reports the results of histogenetic studies of the liver extracted from Japanese quail embryos and hatchlings that had passed the embryonic and postnatal development in microgravity. Comparison of the liver from the flight and laboratory embryos showed identity of organogenesis and histogenesis processes in space and on Earth. However, it should be noted that early histogenetic development of the space embryo liver had been retarded which was concluded from an enlarged lumen in bile capillaries and loose arrangement of epithelium girders as compared with the control On day-10 post flight, the flight embryos exhibited liver induration through narrowing of sinusoids lumen.

[Histogeny of the visceral organs of embryonic Japanese quails developed in the micro-g environment].

The paper reports the results of organogenic and histogenic investigations of the visceral organs of embryonic Japanese quails incubated in the microgravity aboard orbital complex Mir. Investigations of the gastrointestinal tract failed to reveal macrodeviations in the organs' structure, differentiation of layers or cells along the full length of the entodermal canal. However, comparison with the ground controls exhibited poor development of stromal connective tissues in the flight embryos evidencing loose arrangement and small number of fibers.

[Handling and maintenance of gerbils during the spacecraft Foton-M3 mission].

Pressurized low-sized module Kontur with an independent life support system (LSS) was developed by the Institute of Biomedical Problems cooperatively with the Special Design Bureau of Experimental Equipment to house gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) aboard robotic technology-purpose spacecraft. Design of the module precludes pollution of the environment The fully equipped module weighs 69 kg; average daily power consumption is 62 watts. The environmental parameters for 12 animals flown on Foton-M3 in the period of September 14-26, 2007 were controlled within the following ranges: pO2 - 143-156 mm Hg, (mean 150 mm Hg), pCO2 - 0.

[Effect of hypoxic argon-containing gas mixtures on developing organism].

Experimental data on the impact of argon-containing hypoxic breathing mixtures on the early embryonic growth of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica dom.) are presented. The results showed that after 4-day incubation of eggs in an oxygen-nitrogen breathing mixture (13.

[Development of chow for Mongolian gerbils suitable for the conditions of space flight].

One of formidable issues of experiments with animals in space flight is water supply. For Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus), classed as cricetid rodents, water in chow is enough. These animals are a new object for space biology.

[Impact of hypoxic gas mixtures on embryogenesis of the Japanese quail].

Avian embryogenesis is of great interest to investigators, as the germ developing outside mother's body, is capable to react briskly to any alteration in the outer world. The paper present experimental evidence of the impact of oxygen with physical and chemical properties modified by short-cycle no-heating adsorption (SNA) in a hypoxic gas mixture (10% O2) on the early embryogenesis of the Japanese quail. Low concentrations of oxygen are known to be a dramatically disturbing factor for embryo's morphology.

[Effect of chronic exposure to low doses of ionized radiation on embryonal development of the Japanese quail].

Experiments on Japanese quail embryogenesis on a background of chronic exposure to gamma- and neutron doses comparable with the doses of ionized radiation inside the orbital space stations Mir and ISS, and exploration vehicles gave evidence that permanent absorption of low gamma-doses (0,15 cgy/d) did not impact development of the Japanese quail embryos. On the contrary, the neutron dose of 200 microgy/d imparted by the neutron flux of 30 particles/cm2s was hazardous to embryos as it caused morphological disorders in 12% of embryos.

[Peculiarities of eye morphogenesis in embryonic Japanese quails developed in microgravity].

This work is a part of comprehensive research into the effects of space flight on Japanese quail ontogenesis. Analysis of eye morphogenesis in the embryonic Japanese quails developed in microgravity discovered considerable deviations and abnormalities. Ocular abnormalities in the embryonic quail were mainly micro-ophthalmic and associated with disproportional growth of the pigmental epithelium and neural retina which resulted in plication and a broken sandwich structure of the retina.

[Influence of hypodynamia on organism of Japanese quail].

The present study is a part of a more comprehensive investigation of the spaceflight effects on ontogenesis of the Japanese quail. Reported are data about the effects of a 33-day immobilization on behavior, physiology and the reproductive function of these birds. As was revealed in the experiment, immobilization reduces the mass of the quail body and leads to a number of reversible disorders in the reproductive function including a sharp decrease in oviposition in females and disturbances in spermatogenesis in males.

[Development of the device for Japanese quail nestlings maintenance in microgravity].

Postembryonic development of the nestlings in microgravity has revealed their capacity for orientation and stabilization of their position in space which called for developing the special devices. Under terrestrial laboratory conditions the facility for maintaining the nestlings aged up to 10 days has been developed and tested. The results of tests have indicated that despite the restricted volume of individual cages the nestlings can grow without significant variations from the norm as evidenced by the dynamics of nestlings body mass during 10 days and the amount of consumed food.