Figure 1
From: Dynamic gene expression response to altered gravity in human T cells
Experiment design of the parabolic flight (23rd DLR PFC) and suborbital rocket (TEXUS-51) experiments. (a) During the 23rd DLR PFC Jurkat T cells were analyzed before and during the first parabola. 1 g in-flight control (1 g IF ctrl) samples were lysed 5 min before the first parabola, 1.8 g hypergravity samples at the end of the first 1.8 g phase, and microgravity samples at the end of the first microgravity phase. After the flight, 1 g ground controls were performed in the experiment hardware inside the aircraft66. (b) During the TEXUS-51 sounding rocket mission Jurkat T cells were lysed at time point T + 75 s to monitor the hypergravity and vibration effects of the rocket launch. Microgravity samples and 1 g in-flight reference centrifuge control samples were lysed after 415 s post-launch. Additionally, hardware 1 g ground controls as well as cell culture controls were lysed post-flight approximately 15 min after the rocket launch. (c) In-flight experiment system for parabolic flights on board the Airbus A300 ZERO-G. c1 Experiment hardware structure which consists of an incubator rack to store the cell containers at 37 °C before the experiment (1), an experiment rack, in which all technical aggregates are accommodated for the execution of the experiment and where the living cells are processed during altered gravity (2), and a cooling rack to store all cell containers at 4 °C after the injection of the lysis solution until landing (3). c2 Structure of the working rack, rear side. In the upper third (4 °C) are three separate hose pumps which pump the lysis solution into the cell containers, controlled by the unit inside the middle third, which also carries all electrical connections and fuse elements. All liquids are sucked under exclusion of air. In the lower part (36.5 °C) are three separate hose pumps which pump the medium into the cell containers c3. Structure of the working rack, front side, waterproof working space with cell containers. c4. Double-walled, liquid-proof cell container. A maximum of 54 container can be accommodated during one flight. 1 = plastic container, 2 = air valve, 3 = internal sterile cell culture bag (Nutrimix, 0.25 l), 4 = connector 1 (medium), 5 = connector 2 (lysis buffer), 6 = connector 3 (port for filling of cells, performed pre-flight), 7 = plastic flange. (d) In-flight experiment system for the suborbital ballistic rocket flight of the TEXUS-51 payload. TEXUS consists of a VSB-30 engine (not shown) and of the payload structure (d6). Sets of three sterile syringes were filled with cell suspension, medium, and lysis buffer connected by a T-piece with small plugs at the outlet ports to prevent premature contact of the fluids (d4). The syringe systems are accommodated in tempered and vacuum-resistant containers (d3, d5) at the static (d2) or centrifuge (d1) position.
