Agnirva Space Premier League - Expedition #31276: Seeing Through Space: How Spaceflight Changes the Eye’s Vascular System

The human eye is incredibly sensitive to changes in environment—especially in space. The experiment 'Spaceflight Environment Induces Remodeling of Vascular Network and Glia-vascular Communication in Mouse Retina' investigates how microgravity affects the blood vessels and support cells in the eye.

Led by Dr. Xiao Mao from Loma Linda University and supported by NASA Ames Research Center, this study utilized mice sent to the ISS during expeditions 51 through 54. Researchers focused on changes in the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, which plays a critical role in vision.

In microgravity, bodily fluids shift toward the head, increasing pressure inside the skull and eyes. This can lead to changes in retinal structure and function. The experiment examined how the vascular network—blood vessels that supply the eye—adapts to space conditions, and how glial cells (which support neurons) interact with these vessels.

Advanced imaging and molecular biology tools revealed that the retina undergoes significant remodeling during spaceflight. Blood vessel patterns change, and the communication between glial cells and vessels is altered. These findings mirror symptoms seen in astronauts who develop vision issues during long missions, a condition known as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS).

Understanding these changes is vital for astronaut health and for creating protective strategies like eye shields, drug therapies, or mission design changes.

This research also contributes to Earth-based medicine by improving knowledge of eye diseases linked to vascular dysfunction.

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