Histochemistry of the gastrointestinal tract in pregnant rats subjected to cosmic flight and in their progeny (Cosmos 1514).

Investigations were carried out in the digestive tract of pregnant rats submitted to 5 days orbital flight, as well as in rats aged 30 and 100 days, to which the pregnant experimental rats had given birth. The flight produces, in pregnant rats, a mild reduction of the glycoproteins of the salivary glands, of the gastric mucosa and the goblet cells of the small intestine, as well as an augmented activity of some intestinal enzymes. The progeny born after flight presents at 30 days a mild decrease of the glycoproteins in the sublingual gland and stomach and a slight increase in the activity of some enzymes in the small intestine. In 100-day-old rats, the differences between control and experimental group are not significant.