We always live under the force of gravity, but there are few studies that investigate the effects of gravity on health and illness, or what kind of abnormalities occur when gravity disappears.However, clarifying these effects is important for the proper management of astronauts' health.In previous studies using mice, Professor Murakami and his colleagues found that gravity activates the sympathetic nerves by stimulating the sensory nerves of the muscles in the calf.This triggers the formation of a gate through which blood flows into the lumbar spinal cord, causing excessive inflammation.We also discovered that the formation position of the gate can be freely moved by artificial electrical stimulation, and we named this the gateway reflex.

　In this research, we will examine what happens to these gateway reflections in the microgravity state of "Kibo".Experiments in space are related to gravity, which makes it difficult to perform accurate verifications on Earth.It is hoped that this study will fully elucidate the mechanism of the gateway reflex and prove the importance of gravity in the inflammatory response.Once the whole picture is revealed, it will be useful for astronaut health management.In addition, it can be expected that various inflammatory reactions can be controlled even on the ground. JAXA plans to set the stage for the feasibility of space experiments within two years.