The interaction of space flight and thyroid state on somatic and skeletal muscle growth and myosin heavy chain expression on neonatal rodents.

The goal of this research project was to determine how the absence of gravity, when imposed at critical stages (post birth day 7 and 14) in the developmental scheme of the neonatal rodent, impacts body and skeletal muscle growth, as well as expression of the myosin heavy chain (MHC) gene family of motor proteins, which are involved in the regulation of muscle contraction.