Currently, scientists at Cedars-Sinai Medical in Los Angeles are working on a way to grow huge batches of a particular type of stem cell.
There is no doubt that their mission has carried them into space, to the International Space Station in particular.
This study used stem cells from a researcher named Dhruv Sareen who even gave his own stem cells.
in the absence of gravity, stem cell proliferation
Stem cells can be utilized to create almost any other type of cell in the body, including bone marrow, skin, and blood. Their versatility makes them a powerful tool for generating new treatments for many ailments, including Parkinson’s and heart disease, because they are so versatile.
This weekend, a SpaceX supply trip to the ISS sent Sareen’s cells to the station. According to Sareen, “I don’t think I would be able to afford whatever it costs now” to fly to space as a tourist. “At the very least, a portion of my body is able to rise!”
For years, the ISS has hosted numerous stem cell experiments, as microgravity conditions are ideal for conducting these kinds of studies. Though the majority of stem cell therapies are still a long way from being available to the general public, space may be able to alleviate a major logistical issue that prevents bulk manufacture from taking place.
A ridesharing journey to space for stem cells
Depending on the treatment, stem cell therapy patients may require billions of cells in the future. The International Space Station (ISS) can help stem cell therapies because Earth’s gravity makes it difficult to cultivate large amounts of stem cells. Jeffrey Millman, a biomedical engineering expert at Washington University in St. Louis, noted that “even if the FDA immediately authorized any of these medicines, we don’t have the ability to manufacture.”
To produce stem cells on Earth, huge bioreactors are necessary. Keeping the cells from clumping together or falling to the bottom of the tank necessitates frequent stirring. Stirring, on the other hand, has the potential to harm cells. A alternative method of growth is possible because there is no push on cells in microgravity.
It was a shoebox-sized container of pluripotent stem cells that the Cedars-Sinai researchers sent up for their NASA-funded experiment. Pumps and chemical solutions are included in order to keep the stem cells alive for four weeks. For the sake of comparison, the same experiment will be conducted on Earth. After five weeks, the box in space will be returned to Earth in the same SpaceX spaceship that took it there.