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Life Science in Space: Experiments on Board the SJ-10 Recoverable Satellite pp 167–188Cite as

Cell Growth and Differentiation Under Microgravity

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

Abstract

The mechano-biological coupling mechanism of cell response to altered gravity is crucial to understand physiological changes of astronauts in space microgravity environment and to develop relevant countermeasures. To address this issue, a novel space cell culture hardware mainly consisting of precisely controlled flow chamber and gas exchange unit is developed as an experimental payload in SJ-10 recoverable microgravity experimental satellite. Endothelial cells (ECs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are cultured in the hardware during the SJ-10 mission, and recovered samples are analysed elaboratively. The results indicate that microgravity can suppress cellular metabolism. MSCs cultured with hepatic inducing medium are preferential in hepatic differentiation at long-term duration under microgravity. Both ECs and MSCs are regulated by microgravity and respond differentially in initiating cytoskeletal remodeling, or dysregulating signaling pathways relevant to cell adhesion, or directing hepatic differentiation.

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Abbreviations

ALB:

Albumin

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

CCD:

Charge-coupled device

CCL5:

C-C motif chemokine ligand 5

CYP450:

Cytochrome P450

ECM:

Extracellular matrix

ECs:

Endothelial cells

eNOS:

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase

F-actin:

Actin filaments

HUVEC:

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells

ICAM-1:

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1

IF:

Immunofluorescence

IGFBP-2:

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2

IL-1 R4:

Interleukin 1 receptor 4

IL-8:

Interleukin 8

mAbs:

Monoclonal antibodies

MCP-1:

Monocyte chemotactic protein 1

PDGF-AA:

Platelet-derived growth factor AA

p-FAK:

Phospho-focal adhesion kinase

PI3K:

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase

rBMSCs:

Rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells

SCCS:

Space cell culture system

VCAM-1:

Vascular cell adhesion molecule-1

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Lei Zhang, Jianquan Zhang, Zhongfang Deng, Xiang Li, Teng Xie, and Namei Du from Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU) of CAS for their helps in developing hardware and software. The authors also thank to Juan Chen and Yuxin Gao for their technical support, to Chen Zhang, Chunhua Luo, Fan Zhang and Lu Zheng for their assistance in biological tests, and to Shenbao Chen, Lüwen Zhou, Xiao Zhang, Yuzhen Bi, Bing Shangguan, Fan Zhang, and Hao Yang for their contributions to implement the space mission.

We are grateful to the staff members from National Space Science Center (NSSC) of CAS, China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), and China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) for their respective contributions to organization and administration for the payload system and for the satellite system of SJ-10 mission. We also thank the teams of other five systems of SJ-10 mission for their cooperation and support.

This work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China grants U1738115 and 31661143044, and Strategic Priority Research Program of CAS grants XDA04020202-17, XDA04020202-19, XDA04020416, XDA04073800, and QYZDJ-SSW-JSC018.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Microgravity (National Microgravity Laboratory), Center for Biomechanics and Bioengineering and Beijing Key Laboratory of Engineered Construction and Mechanobiology, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Shujin Sun, Chengzhi Wang, Ning Li, Dongyuan Lü, Qin Chen & Mian Long

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  1. Shujin Sun
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  2. Chengzhi Wang
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  3. Ning Li
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  4. Dongyuan Lü
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  6. Mian Long
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mian Long .

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Editors and Affiliations

  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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Sun, S., Wang, C., Li, N., Lü, D., Chen, Q., Long, M. (2019). Cell Growth and Differentiation 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_7

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