Tissue composition of rats exposed to chronic centrifugation

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Abstract
Alterations in tissue composition of female Sprague-Dawley rats exposed continuously for 1 yr. to either 3.5 or 4.7 G by centrifugation were studied. Compared with control animals, chronically centrifuged rats showed increases in plasma cholesterol and Ca levels; plasma Mg, phosphate, K, and free fatty acid levels were unaffected. Changes were noted in plasma phospholipids, total fatty acids, and total protein. There was a marked depletion of body-fat depots in centrifuged rats and a significant decrease in liver and kidney tissue lipids. Significant changes in the fatty acid composition of adipose and kidney tissue lipids occurred, although the percentages of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids remained constant. The femur bone mass was reduced by centrifugation while the ratio of femur mass to body mass was significantly increased over control values. Chemical analyses of the femur shaft indicated no compositional changes except a small increase in P and a decrease in Mg content. Radiographs showed that chronic centrifugation markedly altered the normal curvature of the spinal column.