Microgravity Based Biomanufacturing In article 2300157, Peter H. U. Lee, Deok-Ho Kim, and co-workers discuss simulated real microgravity platforms used to improve biomanufacturing of 3D tissue constructs their use in studying pathophysiology long duration space missions. Various microphysiological systems are presented, including organoid organ-on-a-chip, which fabricated flown model specific h...

Planarians are flatworms, which belong to the phylum Platyhelminthes. They have been a classical subject of study due to their amazing regenerative ability, which relies on the existence of adult totipotent stem cells. Nowadays they are an emerging model system in the field of developmental, regenerative, and stem cell biology. In this study we analyze the effect of a simulated microgravity and...

Exposure to microgravity conditions causes cardiovascular deconditioning in astronauts during spaceflight. Until now, no specific drugs are available for countermeasure, since the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) play key roles in various vascular functions, many of which are regulated by purinergic 2 (P2) receptors. However, their ...

Microgravity and sudden changes of gravitational forces exert numerous effects on tissues, organs and apparatus. Responses to these forces variably applied to cells indicate the existence of mechanotransduction pathways able to modulate transcription. Oscillation of circadian clocks similarly influences many cellular and metabolic processes. Here we hypothesized that signals derived from change...

AstEx is a microgravity experiment selected to fly on ESA’s 51st Microgravity Research Campaign in November 2009. The experiment will investigate the dynamics of regolith on asteroid surfaces. Despite their very low surface gravities, asteroids exhibit a number of different geological processes involving granular matter. Understanding the mechanical response of this granular material subject to...

Microgravity was simulated in Sprague-Dawley (SD) and Wistar (W) rats by using a tail harness to elevate the hindquarters, producing hindlimb unweighting (HU). After 20 days of HU treatment, blood vessels from both HU and control rats were cut into 3-mm rings and mounted in tissue baths for the measurement of isometric contraction. HU treatment decreased the contractile response to 68 mM K+ in ...