Evaluation of the effect of microgravity on the development of central vein in liver of rat embryos and therapeutic effect of folic acid  

Subject Areas : Developmental biology of plants and animals , development and differentiation in microorganisms

Pooneh Rahimi-nia ¹ , Shiva Nasiraei-Moghadam ² , Mahnaz Azarnia ³ , Zahra Hajebrahimi ⁴

1 - Biology dept., Bioscience faculty, Tehran north Branch of Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Biology dept., Bioscience faculty, Tehran north branch of Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
3 - Biology dept., Bioscience faculty, Tehran North branch of Islamic Azad University.
4 - Assistant Professor, Aerospace Research Institute, Ministry of Science Research and Technology, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2017-11-29 Accepted : 2018-08-27 Published : 2018-12-11

Keywords: liver, Embryo, Rat, central vein, Microgravity,

Abstract :

Microgravity has many effects on the physiological systems. Studying these changes is useful to help astronauts, improve human life and to answer biology questions. The aim of present study was to investigate the impact of microgravity on the development of central vein in rat embryos and therapeatic effect of folic acid. Fertilization animals were randomly divided into five groups: control group, the first experimental group who were exposed to microgravity (days 10-15 of pregnancy), the second experimental group who received an edible daily dose of Folic acid (days 10-15 of pregnancy), the third experimental group who were exposed to microgravity (days 1-19.5 of pregnancy), the fourth experimental group who received Folic acid and exposed to microgravity (days 10-15 of pregnancy). Hindlimb unloading model was used to establish ground-based-model of microgravity. On the 20th day of pregnancy, the embryo was removed, fixed, stained using H&E, and studied under the microscope. Data analyzed using SPSS and One-way ANOVA and Tukey test. The results indicated that exposure to microgravity can produce abnormal central vein. Although folic acid consumption alone does not show a meaningful impact, its consumption combined with microgravity can improve central vein morphology that suggests no need for folic acid in normal condition.

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