Provided by Will Dunham
Washington (Reuters) -New research has identified another way as space lights with the human body. A study involving samples flying in four SpaceX stock supply missions to the International Space Station has shown that space travel accelerates the aging of blood cells that form blood cells to the health of blood and immune system.
NASA funded researchers conducted the monitoring of real -time stem cells from individual donor bone marrow to follow the changes that spread through missions lasting 30-45 days in 2021. December 2022 July 2022 November And 2023. March
Cells sent to space have been found to have lost some ability to form healthy new cells, become more sensitive to DNA damage, and showed evidence of faster aging at their chromosomes, which are threaded structures that carry genetic information from cell to cell.
Researchers attributed changes in microgravity conditions and increased radiation effects during space flight.
Stem cells are cells that can develop into different types of cells. The new study monitors tissue species that live in many organs and tissues that can cause cell types in those organs or tissues, but not with each type of cell in the adult body.
Cells called human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells produce all blood cells in the bone marrow – soft and fat tissue living in the bone, including red blood cells that carry oxygen, immune system white blood cells that fight infections and thrombocytes.
Dysfunction of these cells can reduce the body’s ability to restore damaged tissue, reduce the monitoring of the immune system from cancer, reduce the ability to combat infections and reduce human life expectancy.
According to researchers, cells became hyperactive during space flight, depleting their reserves and exploiting their ability to rest and recover.
They also showed signs of inflammation and stress in the mitochondria, the cell structures that create the energy it needs to function and began to activate the hidden parts of the genome called the dark genome, which are usually quiet to maintain stability.
Researchers found stem cell reactions to space travel differences in terms of donor.
“The regenerative capacity of stem cells has fallen, but some individuals, but not others, are activated by bone marrow donors in stem cells, which indicates that the factors for anti-formulation resistance are activated in the cells,” said Dr. Professor of Catriona Jamieson, California University of San Diego, Medice Medice School and Sanford Stem Cell Institute, published by this month’s “Magazine Camera” cell and director.
This shows that some people may be more likely to experience decreased regenerative capacity of these cells, a conclusion that has been confirmed in a later study, which is now expected to publicize, Jamieson added.
The results increase the understanding of the effect of the human body from cosmic light. The human body has developed over millions of years with optimal action in the Earth’s environment, which includes its gravity, atmospheric composition and relatively low radiation levels. Traveling in space causes people to have a completely different environment that poses many challenges, especially due to long -term effects.
Unlike Earth, where the atmosphere and the magnetic field of the planets provide a shield from space radiation, astronauts are exposed to high energy radiation that pervades space. This can lead to DNA lesion, increased cancer risk, neurodegenerative effects, cardiovascular problems, and immune system disregulation. In addition, conditions in the microgravity space can cause bone density loss, muscle atrophy and other effects.
Jamieson said the understanding of blood cells that form blood cells can help direct ways to protect astronauts from these consequences during long -term missions, as well as help model people aging and diseases such as cancer on Earth.
“We have discovered the main components of human stem cell resistance that can be strengthened before, during and after the space flight,” Jamieson said, adding that researchers investigate this during the SpaceX stock mission to last month’s space station.
(Will Dunham’s message, edited by Rosalba O’Brien)