Visceral movement of transparent tadpole

Do tadpoles get space sickness? Tadpoles cannot increase their abdominal pressure in order to throw up. So, a team headed by Prof. Tomio Naito, Shimane University, proposed an experiment to analyze the physiological condition from a visceral movement of a tadpole with a transparent abdominal wall.

The experiment became internationally renown. Looking at the heart, gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory movements, a pacemaker is installed, and a basic rhythm is oscillated by the pacemaker to generate periodical movements. In addition, the cycle of the visceral movement and its strength respond to the individual physiological state and its demands, and are adjusted by the integrated command system of the individual. Tadpoles of the Amami green tree frog have transparent abdominal walls, so it is easy to observe or capture images of the heart, gastrointestinal tract, and respiratory movements. By changes in visceral movement, we can understand the individual physiological state and the processes of reacting and adapting to the space environment. The advancement of molecular biology and neurophysiology is providing various tools to conduct research on visceral movement and its control mechanisms.


Course of biological sciences in space

Long-term experiments can be conducted on the International Space Station. So, we can study what problems arise if we breed living things over several generations in space, and at what stages and to what phenomena gravity is related in the life circle of living things from their early embryogenesis to growth/development, reproduction, and aging. The fundamental research that studies the effects of gravity through the life circle of living things and evaluates the impact of long exposure in space environment on the life process serves as a basis for humankind to move into space.

The 2002 Nobel Prize in physics was awarded for neutrino and X-ray astronomy. In chemistry, it was given for the mass spectrometry of biomacromolecule and analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance. I am honored in part for this award because Dr. John B. Fenn, one of the Nobel Prize winners, and I co-wrote the first report on electrospray mass spectrometry. I am now examining if the awarded analysis method can apply for detecting bio-related material in extraterrestrial life exploration. The Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded for apoptosis, which is founded in the metamorphosis of amphibians. The 2002 Nobel Prize is indeed associated with space, living things, and tadpoles.