目的 :探讨太空微重力对鸡胚前庭神经元形态发育的影响。方法 :随机选取太空发育鸡胚和地面发育鸡胚各 2只 ,利用计算机显微测量技术测量前庭神经元切面的面积、周长、形态系数 ,每只鸡胚测量 2 0 0个神经元。结果 :2只太空发育鸡胚的前庭神经元切面面积的中位数分别是 2 30 .5 5 1 μm2 和 2 0 2 .81 9μm2 ,均高于 2只地面发育鸡胚的 1 6 2 .6 5 9μm2 和 1 2 3.1 38μm2 ;周长的中位数分别是 5 8.836 μm和 5 5 .36 5 μm ,高于地面鸡胚的 4 9.35 7μm和4 3.4 81 μm ;形态系数的中位数分别是 0 .86 2和 0 .86 4 ,与地面鸡胚的 0 .85 4和 0 .86 1比较 ,差异无统计学意义 (P >0 .1 )。结论 :太空发育鸡胚的前庭神经元体积大于地面发育鸡胚前庭神经元体积 ,而形状无差异 ,提示微重力对前庭神经元的形态发育可能有影响 Objective: To investigate the effect of space microgravity on morphological development of chicken embryo vestibular neurons. Methods: Two randomly selected embryos and two chicken embryos were randomly selected. The area, perimeter and morphological parameters of the vestibular neuron were measured by computer microscopy. The number of neurons in each chicken embryo was measured. RESULTS: The median of vestibular neuron cross-sectional area in two embryos was 2 30.55 1 μm 2 and 2 0 2 .81 9 μm 2, respectively, which were both higher than those of two ground-based chicken embryos 5 9μm2 and 1 2 3.1 38μm2 respectively. The median of the circumference was 5 8.836 μm and 55.356 μm, respectively, which were higher than those of ground chicken embryos of 4 9.35 7μm and 4 3.4 81 μm. The median of morphological coefficients were 0 .86 2 and 0 .86 4, respectively. There was no significant difference (P> 0. 1) between ground chicken and 0 .85 4 and 0. CONCLUSION: The volume of vestibular neurons in the embryos with space development is larger than the volume of the vestibular neurons in the ground, but the shapes are not different, suggesting that microgravity may have an impact on the morphological development of the vestibular neurons