Effect of simulated microgravity on hsp70 mRNA expression. After the exposure to simulated microgravity, 3 µg of total RNA samples from the embryos of each control group (C) and experimental group (mg) were loaded on each lane and Northern blot analysis for hsp70 mRNA was performed (upper panel). To confirm the integrity of RNA and the transfer efficiency, ribosomal RNAs on a nylon membrane stained with methylene blue are shown in the lower panel. The numbers on the bottom indicate the normalized densitometry of each group. This experiment was performed in triplicate.

hsp70 mRNA expression in lens after Δg exposure. A: The regions of the eye in each embryo after in situ hybridization for hsp70 mRNA. Dorsal is up. le, lens. r, retina. B: The intensity of the signal in lens of each group (N = 12, 24 lenses) was measured and normalized to the mean of the 1g data. Errors bars = SEM.

βB1-crystallin mRNA expression in lens after Δg exposure. A: The regions of the eye in each embryo after in situ hybridization for βB1-crystallin. Dorsal is up. a, anterior; p, posterior. B: The intensity of the signal in lens of each group (N = 12-16) was measured and normalized to the mean of the 1g data. Errors bars = SEM.

αA-crystallin mRNA expression in lens after Δg exposure. A: The regions of the eye in each embryo after in situ hybridization for αA-crystallin mRNA. Dorsal is up. B: The intensity of the signal in lens of each group (N = 13-19) was measured and normalized to the mean of the 1g data. Errors bars = SEM.

Change in the number of apoptotic nuclei in lens after Δg exposure. The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridinetriphosphate nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay was performed with embryos exposed to micro- and hypergravity during the period between 32 hours postfertilization (hpf) and 56 or 80 hpf. The number of the TUNEL-labeled nuclei was then counted and normalized to the mean of the 1g data. Each group: N = 10-16, 20-32 lenses. Errors bars = SEM.