Aggregation of red cells in disease: Some deductions and speculations based on results of “ARC” experiment on the space shuttle “DISCOVERY” STS 51-C

Abstract

Experiment on STS 51-C in January 1985, carried out on blood samples obtained from patients with heart disease, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia and cancer showed that, under zero gravity, the morphology of red cell aggregates aggregates was normal, in contradistinction to the parallel and simultaneous observations under 1 g, which showed large and unorientated clumps of red cells. As such clumps could be considered of disadvantage in the microcirculation and tissue perfusion, the zero gravity observations were significant in a number of ways. In particular, a preliminary deduction (subject to further zero g experimentation) was that cell-cell interaction and adhesion are affected by zero gravity, and that most likely the microarchitecture of the cell membrane is modified; and that probably the receptors, their position and/or activity, are affected by zero gravity. Of particular interest could be a possible change in the properties of the discrete surface areas which respond preferentially to specific macromolecules (or ligands).

There is a dissonance between these in vitro results and theoretical deductions on flow in the microcirculations by Oka, and as well of deductions on space sickness by Dintenfass, both assuming a disabling effect of zero g on the in vivo microcirculation. This dissonance should be explored, as effect of zero g might be different on blood flow in vivo and in vitro.

However, the data available from the in vitro experiment suggest that studies in immunology and oncology might be enriched by zero gravity findings; and that studies under zero gravity might open a new avenue of research In these important fields.