by Valentina Boulter – Cosmos –
New research using organoids has found that brain cells in space remain healthy, but mature faster than they would on Earth.
Numerous studies have outlined the effect microgravity, or limited gravity, on muscles, bones, the immune system and cognitive function. But until now, no studies have specifically looked into how space impacts brain cells.
To better understand how the brain is impacted, a team at Scripps Research Institute in California, with the New York Stem Cell Foundation, sent tiny clumps of stem cells – that came from brain cells – to the International Space Station (ISS).
The fact that these cells survived in space was a big surprise,” says co-author Jeanne Loring, founding director of the Center for Regenerative Medicine at Scripps.
