Researching fruit flies can help people stay healthy in the universe

During the last 8.48 million km journey of space shuttle Discovery, about 300 birds and fruit fly eggs were ' accompanied '.

Fruit fly (Photo: innate)

Follow the cabin to this tiny creature to experience the cosmic environment.Scientists at the US National Aeronautics Administration (NASA) and three US universities say that the ' fly experience' of fruit flies can help discover the mysteries of human immune systems. Prepare for adventures on the Moon and Mars.

The reason why the fruit fly selected by this insect belongs to the fast-growing group, short life cycle (60 days) and the ability to adapt to the weak environment. According to the team leader, geneticist Deborah Kimbrell of the University of California, although the flies' immune system is simpler than that of humans, their genetic structure is very similar, so fruit flies are considered logical models. thought to observe and understand the human immune responses when in space.

The important issue is whether the immune system is compromised after long journeys. To find out, the scientists infected fungi and bacteria for two groups of fruit flies (one raised on Discovery ships and the control group at Kennedy Space Center but all had the same diet and living environment. like on a spaceship).

The aim is to compare the immune response of both groups, including tests such as blood cell counts and blood clotting. Initial results show that the immune system is not a big problem in the past experiment. However, scientists believe that this study was conducted in 2 weeks so the results will be very different from those of 2 years or more.

Hoang Hoang