Patch designed by
Julianna Ferko
7th Grade Student
USING THE STATOCYST SYSTEM TO
INVESTIGATE HOW THE VESTIBULAR
SYSTEM WOULD PROVIDE ORIENTATION
AND BALANCE TO LIVING ORGANISMS IN
MICROGRAVITY
Patch designed by
Molly Ferko-Comer
9th Grade Student
AN EXPERIMENT PROPOSED BY THE IROQUOIS SCHOOL DISTRICT:
TEACHER FACILITATOR
• CO-INVESTIGATORS
JENNIFER FOUTZ, IROQUOIS
SCHOOL DISTRICT
CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS
•
MACKENZIE MOORE- GRADE 8
•
TAMARA BURTON- GRADE 7
• COLLABORATORS
MORGAN SCHNARS- GRADE 9
•
BRANDON BRIEGER- GRADE 6
AALIHYA BOWERSOX- GRADE 8
•
JADON SPRING- GRADE 6
Objective:
Determine if microgravity causes a disturbance in the Vestibular system by using the statocyst system
found in sea stars (Echinoderms) as a model system
STATOCYST SYSTEM
VESTIBULAR SYSTEM
Inner
Ear
Otolith
Organs
The Statocyst system
is located at the
junction of sea stars’
legs
HYPOTHESIS
• Null Hypothesis (Ho): Microgravity has no effect on the
statolith inside the statocyst (no change); sea star behavioral
response – it does not try to orient itself
• Statocyst system operates the same as it would on earth
• Statolith floats inside statocyst, not coming in contact
with any cilia
• Removal of the statolith resulted in no response in
lobsters (Cohen, 1955)
• Alternative Hypothesis (HA): Microgravity has an effect on the
statolith inside the statocyst; sea star behavioral response –
constantly tries to orient itself
• Statolith is constantly moving, coming in contact with cilia
at various locations in the statocyst
Asterina
Sea Stars
*These two sea
stars are part of
the ground truth
experiment
USE OF THE STATOCYST AS A MODEL SYSTEM
HUMANS
Otolith Organs
Both Systems:
• Geotropic
• Information provided to the organism’s nervous system
• Results in a behavioral response
SEA STAR
Statocyst System
DATA COLLECTION
FME MINI-LAB
• Sea stars chosen had at least three already
missing arms
• Experimental Treatment (Space):
•
Upon its return to Earth, we will measure the
growth of each arm and take an average for each
Sea Star
• Control Treatment (Earth):
2.8 mL Salt Water
1 Sea Star
2.8 mL Salt Water
2.8 mL Salt Water
1 Sea Star
Clamps are released upon arrival at the ISS to replenish
the water.
•
The same experiment will be setup on Earth with
one set of Sea Stars undisturbed and one set
constantly being rotated at a speed of two
rotations per minute
•
We will measure the growth of each arm and take
and average for each Sea Star
POTENTIAL RESULTS
• Sea Star 1: Statocyst operates as it would on earth;
optimal environment
• Sea Star 2: Statolith floats inside statocyst not
coming in contact with any cilia; optimal
environment
• Sea Star 3: Statolith comes in continual contact
with various points inside statocyst; stressful
environment
Optimal
Growth
SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH
If the microgravity environment provides conflicting
information to the brain, the Visual System will take
over; therefore it may be important to provide proper
visual cues (“up” and “down”) when designing the
interior of the spacecrafts and the space station to allow
astronauts a sense of orientation
Seastar 1 1
SEASTAR
Seastar 2 2
SEASTAR
Seastar 3 3
SEASTAR
REFERENCES
• "Clinical Neurophysiology of the Vestibular System." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2014.
<http://books.google.com/books?id=QRgynJASsi8C&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8&dq=vestibular+system+and+statocyst&source=bl&ots=7q
U-zmx9MJ&sig=2lxiBiFr8KWnXjNUTjmsowo4nh
• Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Port Phillip Bay (bay, Australia)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.
Web. 19 Sept. 2014. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/470940/Port-Phillip-Bay.
• "Journey into the world of hearing." Cochlear fluids. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2014. http://www.cochlea.eu/en/cochlea/cochlearfluids.
• "PORT PHILLIP BAY." Port Phillip Bay Taxonomy Toolkit. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2014. <http://portphillipmarinelife.net.au/species/
• "Pycnopodia helianthoides." Animal Diversity Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2014. <http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/acc
• "statocyst." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2014. <http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/statocyst>.
• "The Smallest Starfish in the World." Animals. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2014. <http://animals.pawnation.com/smallest-starfishworld-1268.html>.
• Web. 10 Nov. 2014. <http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/otolaryngology/research/vestibular/recent_findings.html>.
• "Vestibular System: Structure and Function (Section 2, Chapter 10) Neuroscience Online: An Electronic Textbook for the
Neurosciences | Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy - The University of Texas Medical School at Houston." Vestibular
System: Structure and Function (Section 2, Chapter 10) Neuroscience Online: An Electronic Textbook for the Neurosciences |
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy - The University of Texas Medical School at Houston. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Sept. 2014.
<http://neuroscience.uth.tmc.edu/s2/chapte
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