'Nomadic' Hematopoietic Stem Cells Navigate the Embryonic Landscape.

Hematopoietic stem cells are a unique population of tissue-resident multipotent cells with an extensive ability to self-renew and regenerate the entire lineage of differentiated blood cells. Stem cells reside in a highly specialized microenvironment with surrounding supporting cells, forming a complex and dynamic network to preserve and maintain their function. The survival, activation, and quiescence of stem cells are largely influenced by niche-derived signals, with aging niche contributing to a decline in stem cell function.

Cardiovascular adaptations in microgravity conditions.

Gravity has had a significant impact on the evolution of life on Earth with organisms developing necessary biological adaptations over billions of years to counter this ever-existing force. There has been an exponential increase in experiments using real and simulated gravity environments in the recent years. Although an understanding followed by discovery of counter measures to negate diminished gravity in space had been the driving force of research initially, there has since been a phenomenal leap wherein a force unearthly as microgravity is beginning to show promising potential.

Effects of short-term hypergravity on hematopoiesis and vasculogenesis in embryonic zebrafish.

Microgravity and hypergravity-induced changes affect both molecular and organismal responses as demonstrated in various animal models. In addition to its inherent advantages, zebrafish have been shown to be incredibly resilient to altered gravity conditions. To understand the effects of altered gravity on animal physiology, especially the cardiovascular system, we used 2 h centrifugations to simulate short-term hypergravity and investigated its effects on zebrafish development.