Elsevier

Acta Astronautica

Volume 8, Issues 9–10, September–October 1981, Pages 995-1002
Acta Astronautica

Endocrinology, hematology and immunology
Hematological and immunological changes during space flight

https://doi.org/10.1016/0094-5765(81)90070-9Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper gives a summary of the principal hematological and immunological changes observed in crews after space flight. Reduction of red blood cell mass (2–21%) and of hemoglobin mass (12–33%) is generally observed after the US and Soviet space missions. The changes are accompanied with a loss of plasma volume (4–16%). Erythrocyte and hemoglobin concentrations in the blood remain constant, suggesting that the changes are driven by a feed-back mechanism. Immunological changes consist mainly of reduced T-lymphocyte reactivity. The results of the 96-day and 140-day Salyut-6 missions suggest that the adaptation of the immune system to spaceflight occurs in two stages: the first takes place during the first 2–3 months in space, the second follows and consists of further weakening of the immune response.

Our experiments with human lymphocytes in vitro indicate that high-g enhance, whereas low-g depress lymphocyte activity. Finally, our investigations to be performed on Spacelab are described.

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