The roles of gravitational load or anti-gravitational muscular activities on the growth and development of motor function and/or anti-gravity muscle, soleus, had been investigated. In this review, the responses of growth-associated changes in swimming [1, 2] and/or surface righting performance [3], spatial learning and memory functions [4], and hippocampal neurogenesis [5] or protein expression [6] to hindlimb unloading (HU) by hindlimb suspension or spaceflight during neonatal growing period in rats were discussed. Effects on the morphological and contractile properties, distribution of neuromuscular junction in single muscle fibers, sampled from tendon-to-tendon, and roles of satellite cells and myonuclei in the regulation of these properties [7–9] were also reviewed.
Effect of hindlimb suspension on hippocampal neurogenesis in weaned rats
