Scientists are going to grow a three-dimensional organoid on the ISS
Scientists from the University of Zurich intend to send human stem cells to the International Space Station (ISS), which are specially prepared for growing small artificial organs from them – organoids. According to the plan, this should happen on August 28 – the day when the next mission with supplies will leave for the station. Information about this is posted on the university website.
It is noted that three-dimensional organelles are of great interest to the pharmaceutical industry. With their help, it is possible, without resorting to experiments on animals, to carry out various toxicological studies directly on human tissues. In addition, organelles grown from stem cells from patients can also be used as building blocks. For example, to replace tissue fragments during the treatment of damaged organs.
This stage was preceded by three years of various tests on Earth and in space. For example, in March last year, 250 tubes with stem cells were aboard the ISS for a month. During this time, under microgravity conditions, adult stem cells have turned into differentiated organ-like structures – liver, bones and cartilage. But control samples grown on Earth under normal gravity did not show cell differentiation or showed minimal.
This mission will send tissue stem cells from two women and two men into orbit. The researchers want to know how reliable their method is when using cells with different biological variability. The authors suggest that in the future the ISS will function as a workshop for the production of miniature human tissues for use on Earth for scientific purposes and medicine.
Researchers are now focusing on production and quality control. A sample of the material will return to Earth around early October. Scientists promise to report the first results in a month after that.
Earlier it was reported that Russia will send a robot in the form of a human torso into space in 2025. It is possible that this robot will settle already at the new Russian orbital station, allowing it to work anywhere on the surface where the manipulator can reach, the specialist said.
