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Advances of Mammalian Reproduction and Embryonic Development Under Microgravity

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Life Science in Space: Experiments on Board the SJ-10 Recoverable Satellite

Part of the book series: Research for Development ((REDE))

Abstract

The development of life beyond the earth is a dream of human being. Human long duration orbital spaceflight, exploration of Mars and other new space frontiers, colonization of the Moon will require understanding of fundamental of embryogenesis and reproductive function in space environment. It is therefore important to study the effect of microgravity environment on the reproductive system of mammals and to determine whether embryos can develop normally in without gravitational cue. It is important to look at the entire process of fertilization, the cleavage of pre-implantation embryos and blastocyst lineage formation under microgravity in space. It is important to investigate the potential mechanisms and at which point the effected stages regulate back to producing normal embryos. This chapter reviews both others and our lab’s research progress about the reproductive science and the mammalian early developmental outcomes under simulated microgravity on earth and real microgravity in space. In addition, we describe the latest experimental results of development of mouse pre-implantation embryos from China’s SJ-10 recoverable microgravity experimental satellite (SJ-10 satellite). Finally, this chapter conclude with perspectives of necessary space research in the area of embryonic development and mammalian reproduction in the future.

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Abbreviations

Amotl2:

Angiomotin-like 2

bp:

Blastopore

EPI:

Epiblast

FAs:

Focal adhesions

HARV:

High Aspect Ratio Vessel

ICM:

Inner cell mass

IF:

Intermediate filaments

MF:

Microfilaments

miRNA:

MicroRNAs

MT:

Microtubules

NRB:

Natural radiation background

PrE:

Primitive endoderm

PKC:

Protein kinase C

RCCS:

Rotating Cell Culture System

SJ-10 satellite:

SJ-10 recoverable microgravity experimental satellite

TE:

Trophectoderm

3D:

Three-dimensional

UV:

Ultraviolet

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Acknowledgements

We thank National Space Science Center of the CAS and institute of mechanics of CAS for organizing this program. We are grateful to thank the chief scientist of SJ-10 satellite program, Prof. Wenrui Hu for guiding in science and technology. We also thank Dr. Tao Zhang for providing the embryo culture hardware and vibration platform for our study. This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Grants (U1738103, 31600683) and the Strategically Guiding Scientific Special Project from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA04020202-20, XDA15014000).

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  1. State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Xiaohua Lei, Yujing Cao, Ying Zhang & Enkui Duan

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  1. Xiaohua Lei
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Correspondence to Enkui Duan .

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  1. Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Enkui Duan

  2. Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Mian Long

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Lei, X., Cao, Y., Zhang, Y., Duan, E. (2019). Advances of Mammalian Reproduction and Embryonic Development Under Microgravity. In: Duan, E., Long, M. (eds) Life Science in Space: Experiments on Board the SJ-10 Recoverable Satellite. Research for Development. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6325-2_11

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