Space Marine

As the old joke goes: three fish are in a tank, one says “How do you drive this thing?” Medaka fish like these have gone one better – blasting off on a space rocket. On board the International Space Station (ISS), medaka make good models for the effects of low gravity on humans. Recently, scientists in Japan watched remotely from Earth as a microscope on the ISS took a close look at developing medaka bone cells. Within a day of being in microgravity, genes in the fish’s osteoblast and osteoclast cells, which help to make new bones, began to change. This strange bone-building response may combat the loss bone minerals brought on by low gravity, suggesting clues to why human astronauts often have skeletal problems. Future space-travellers may have these pioneering gravitational biology experiments, and the medaka fish, to thank for pain-free missions in the future.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Image courtesy of Professor Kiyoshi Naruse, National Institute for Basic Biology, Aichi, Japan
• Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama, Japan
• Image copyright held by the photographer
• Research published in Scientific Reports, December 2016