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The ability to copy and transform is important, as experiments show Stem cells improved when grown in space. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic used the International Space Station’s microgravity for their results, Channel 24 reported, citing NPJ Microgravity.

Since stem cells play a crucial role in the body’s repair process due to their ability to rapidly regenerate and differentiate, these findings may help investigate new methods for preventing and treating diseases.

Studying stem cells in space has revealed cellular mechanisms that would remain undetected or unknown in normal gravity.
– says pathologist Abba Zubair from the Mayo Clinic.

The team specifically studied the behavior of adult stem cells on the ISS, which are more limited in how they divide and transform compared to embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells are often grown outside the body to research and treat diseases, but this is a complex, time-consuming and expensive process.

This research shows that space laboratories could solve some of these problems. Different types of stem cells were tested and all gave positive results: For example, mesenchymal stem cells have been shown to be better at managing immune system responses and reducing inflammation when grown in microgravity.

During one of the experiments on the ISS / Mayo Clinic

For the various types of stem cells studied, scientists observed overall improvements in the way the cells expanded and the stability of their proliferation. Even after returning to Earth. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but the potential to grow larger numbers of stem cells faster in microgravity already exists.

The space environment offers an advantage for the growth of stem cells, providing a more natural three-dimensional situation for their expansion, much like the growth of cells in the human body. This is compared to the 2D culture media available on Earth, which are less likely to mimic human tissue.
– says Zubair.

Normally our adult stem cells cope with the normal wear and tear of the body. However, when something goes wrong, an extra “injection” of lab-grown cells can be crucial to treatment.

The research team is also confident that cells grown in space will help treat diseases associated with aging, including neurodegenerative diseases such as stroke, cancer and dementia.

Scientists say space exploration so far is just a starting point. There is much more to come.