Murine Retina Data After 35-Day ISS Spaceflight

A 35-day spaceflight experiment aboard the ISS investigated the effects of microgravity on mouse ocular tissues. The dataset from NASA includes results from micro-computed tomography, immunostaining, and histology assays, showing changes in gene expression, photoreceptor integrity, and oxidative stress. Analysis identified 600 differentially expressed genes and significant thinning of retinal layers.

Use Cases

• Analyze gene expression changes related to visual perception and phototransduction based on RNA sequencing results.
• Investigate oxidative stress damage in retinal tissues based on immunofluorescence assay data.
• Model structural changes in the retina, retinal pigment epithelium, and choroid based on thickness measurements from micro-computed tomography.
• Study transcription factor activity and chromatin structure changes associated with the observed phenotypic alterations.

Strengths

• Includes data from multiple assay types: micro-computed tomography, immunostaining, and histology.
• Study design includes a ground control group maintained under identical environmental conditions for comparison.
• Analysis identified 600 differentially expressed genes and 12 genes associated with retinitis pigmentosa.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data is from a specific mouse model (C57BL/6 male mice) and a single 35-day mission, limiting generalizability.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Experimental data from mice flown aboard the ISS for 35 days, with tissues collected within 38 (+/−4) hours after return.

Time Range

Experimental period involved a 35-day spaceflight.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 19:56:59.756780; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Data collected from subjects aboard the International Space Station and corresponding ground controls.