nasa:

Two rings to shear them all!

This GIF shows a drop of insulin solution contained by surface tension in the Ring Sheared Drop device as part of an experiment conducted aboard the International Space Station. The device pins a drop of liquid between two rings and rotates one while keeping the other stationary to create shear flow, or a difference in velocity between adjacent liquid layers. Researchers used the device to study protein aggregates called amyloid fibrils, which may be related to diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and type 2 diabetes.

Scientists investigating the mechanisms of certain diseases on Earth must contend with the forces of gravity and the interaction between liquids and solid containers. These forces differ from such interfaces in the body, such as those in arteries and brain tissue, and can affect results. The Ring Sheared Drop investigation team developed a device that uses surface tension rather than a solid container to hold liquids, something possible only in microgravity!

Fluid extracted after each run will return to Earth aboard a Dragon capsule on September 30 so researchers can determine the extent of protein fibril formation, study their structure, and compare both to what happens in ground-based controls. Results could improve the fundamental understanding of how amyloid fibrils form and are transported, as well as the effects of shear at fluid interfaces relevant to conditions in the body.

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