Profiles & Overviews | Links

Key Research Questions

• Does the well-documented decrease in red blood cell mass termed "anemia of space flight" represent a normal microgravity-associated adaptive process (self-limiting) or a transient response (self-correcting) to changes brought about by various space flight-related stimuli (stressors)?
• What are the time courses and magnitudes of changes in the erythropoietic system during space flight?
• What is the most effective way to restore red cell mass during simulated and actual microgravity? Should red cell mass be restored during space flight?
• Does space flight affect the humoral or cell-mediated immune functions, nonspecific immunity, or immune surveillance capabilities of space crews in a manner that would expose them to unacceptable medical risk while on a mission, upon return to Earth, or as a consequence of repeated mission exposure?

Experiment/Mission Information

Experiment Information from the NASA Life Sciences Data Archive

Source: NASA Life Sciences Data Archive   Format: HTML

Immunology:
Hematology:

Description: This to the NASA Life Sciences Data Archive provides a list of relevant descriptions of flight experiments investigating immunology and hematology.

Mission Information from the NASA Life Sciences Data Archive

Source: NASA Life Sciences Data Archive   Format: HTML

Immunology:
Hematology:

Description: This link to the NASA Life Sciences Data Archive provides a list of relevant descriptions of space flight missions that carried experiments investigating immunology and hematology.

Profiles & Overviews

Effects of Microgravity on Human Immune System

Source: Spaceline   Format: PDF
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Description: This article provides an overview of experiments studying how space flight affects the human immune system, including white blood cell levels and single T cells. (Posted on 11/03)

Loss of Red Blood Cells

Source: Spaceline   Format: PDF
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Description: This article profiles the discovery of a previously unknown process that destroys red blood cells. (Posted on 6/01)

"Modeled Microgravity" Increases Virulence of Common Bacterial Pathogen

Source: Spaceline   Format: PDF
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Description: This article describes how simulated microgravity strengthens the disease-causing potential of a Salmonella bacteria strain - a finding that has implications for the health of space travelers, whose immune systems are weakened during flight. (Posted on 11/03)

Radiation Threatens Blood-Making Cells

Source: Science@NASA   Format: HTML
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Description: The radiation astronauts encounter in deep space could put vital blood-making cells in jeopardy. This article profiles the research being conducted to better understand the risk and develop countermeasures. (Posted on 10/04)

Links

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National Space Biomedical Research Institute
This site details the NSBRI's research projects in the fields of immunology, infection, and hematology.