Science Benefits to Earth Osteoporosis is a generic term used to describe various bone diseases that are manifested by resulting in fractures of the vertebrae, wrist hip, humerus and tibia.
Osteoporosis is also present in healthy astronauts that are in microgravity for extended duration.
Our studies are concentrated on the basic mechanisms that regulate new bone growth and the relationship of growth to drugs and environment. In our flight studies we are investigating the basic signals which increase bone growth by comparing the gene expression and cell morphology in microgravity and 1-G environment. Analysis of sera from Skylab astronauts have shown that the glucocorticoids are increased on a daily average in astronauts . This could be the major mechanism by which exercise augments bone growth . In addition to studying the underlying cause of osteoporosis in spaceflight as well as on Earth, the new technology made possible by our NASA grant has allowed us to make progress in our studies of colorectal and prostate cancer.