Validity of microgravity simulation models on earth

Many studies have used water immersion and head-down bed rest as experimental models to simulate responses to microgravity. However, some data collected during space missions are at variance or in contrast with observations collected from experimental models. These discrepancies could reflect incomplete knowledge of the characteristics inherent to each model. During water immersion, the hydrostatic pressure lowers the peripheral vascular capacity and causes increased thoracic blood volume and high vascular perfusion. In turn, these changes lead to high urinary flow, low vasomotor tone, and a high rate of water exchange between interstitium and plasma. In contrast, the increase in thoracic blood volume during a space mission is combined with stimulated orthosympathetic tone and lowered urine flow. During bed rest, body tissues are compressed by pressure from gravity, whereas microgravity causes a negative pressure around the body. The differences in renal function between space and experimental models appear to be explained by the physical forces affecting tissues and hemodynamics as well as by the changes secondary to these forces. These differences may help in selecting experimental models to study possible effects of microgravity. (C) 2001 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.