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The researchers found that the brain had matured rapidly during its time in space, and the rate of maturation was much faster than that of the organoids on Earth
Scientists specifically wanted to understand how brain disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, affect neurons.
A few years ago, scientists created a small human brain in the lab using brain cell tissue and neurons, which they named organoids. Scientists sought to understand how microgravity would affect this brain and, for this, they sent it to the International Space Station for a period of time. When it returned to Earth, scientists discovered surprising changes that they had not expected at all.
In 2019, American researchers sent this organoid to the International Space Station, where it was kept for a month. Upon studying the mini brain after its return to Earth, the researchers were astonished to find that it remained healthy despite experiencing weightlessness for weeks. They also observed certain changes that were not seen in organoids left on Earth.
Surprising Discovery
The researchers found that the brain had matured rapidly during its time in space, and the rate of maturation was much faster than that of the organoids on Earth. Jenny Loring, a microbiologist at the Scripps Research Institute, remarked that it was very surprising that these cells survived in space.
The researchers believe this could lay the foundation for future space experiments involving parts of the brain affected by brain diseases. This experiment was particularly significant because they also used organoids with brain disorders.
Purpose Of The Experiment
The team, led by David Morota, a molecular biologist at the International Space Station US National Laboratory, conducted the study to examine the effect of microgravity on the human brain. They specifically wanted to understand how brain disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, affect neurons. However, the results they obtained were truly surprising.
Two Types Of Organoids
The organoids were created in the lab using human pluripotent stem cells, which were taken from healthy donors as well as from the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease. Brain immune cells called microglia were also added to some of the tissues. It was clear that microgravity would have different effects on both types of organoids.
The researchers then compared the organoids sent into space with those that remained on Earth and observed a significant difference, contrary to their expectations. What was even more surprising was that it did not matter whether the organoids were from a healthy person or a person with a neurological disorder.
Results
The organoids sent into space showed higher gene expression related to cell maturation. They found that the cells reproduced at a slower rate in space but aged faster. In the same organoids, they discovered less inflammation in the genes associated with stress. The researchers concluded that this phenomenon was likely caused by microgravity. Loring mentioned that the properties of microgravity may have an effect on people’s brains because things do not move in the same way as they do on Earth.
There is no doubt that a different environment had to be created to keep the organoids in microgravity, where there is less oxygen. The researchers believe that this factor may also have contributed to the difference, but it cannot be ruled out. In such a situation, more experiments will be needed in the future to explore this further.
