[Red blood of cosmonauts on missions aboard the International Space Station (ISS)].

Morphobiochemical investigations of red blood (space experiment Hematologiya) involved the ISS Russian crew members (increments 6-12). Blood samples were drawn on L-30, at the beginning (FD 6-10) and end (FD 160-190) of orbital flight, shortly after landing (R+0), and on R+7 and R+15. Results of the investigations of red blood metabolism and cell membrane showed that long-duration space flight reduces the hemoglobin level in consequence of, probably, intensive erythropoiesis and premature partial elimination of degraded (possibly old) erythrocytes from circulating blood.

[Hematological investigations in conditions of long-term space flights].

In the nearly 15-month mission aboard MIR the cosmonaut-physician and members of three crews (MIR-15, -16, and -17) carried out a program of hematological investigations. Most of the changes related to the red blood system and included reduction in hemoglobin and hematocrit. Erythrocytes had decreased concentration and took on abnormal forms.

[Influence of space flight factors on peripheral red blood cells in humans].

Investigations of cosmonauts' peripheral red blood prior to and on days 1, 7 and 14 post long-term MIR-19 and -20 missions dealt with the morphological composition of blood, indices of iron exchange, correlation of erythrocyte shapes, and the lipid and phospholipid profiles of the erythrocyte membrane. To this avail, methods of light electron microscopy, radioimmune analysis, and thin-layer microscopy were used. Among the unidirectional shifts in the crewmembers of these missions were changes in ion exchange indices and the lipid and phospholipid profiles of erythrocyte membrane which were indicative of increased microviscosity of the lipid layer.

[Metabolic and structural aspects of cellular homeostasis in long-term isolation].

Metabolism and structural/functional status of membrane of blood cells (erythrocytes, lymphocytes) were investigated in human subjects during simulation of MIR environment and operations, and postflight activities. Homeostasis of the blood count cells was assessed by the parameters of intercellular metabolism. Histochemical technique was used to evaluate the activity of mitochondrial enzymes succinate dehydrogenase and alpha-glycerphosphate dehydrogenase in lymphocytes.