The expression of genes involved in hemocyte maturation and pathogen recognition and binding is downregulated in spaceflight larvae.

Among the major categories of genes that were affected in larvae that developed in microgravity were the genes that mark the differentiation and maturation of plasmatocytes (l(3)mbn, Pxn, Pvf2,) and crystal cells (lz); genes involved in E. coli binding and phagocytosis; and the pattern recognition receptors GNBP3 and PGRPs which activate the humoral pathways. Gene expression level in spaceflight samples compared to ground controls is expressed as fold change. The statistical significance of the gene changes is shown by the adjusted p-value. The false discovery rate (FDR) cut-off was less than 0.05 for all genes.