A team from the University of California, San Diego, has found signs of accelerated aging in human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) that spent 32 to 45 days on the International Space Station, Engadget reports. These cells are responsible for blood formation and supporting the immune system.
The experiment used specially designed nanobioreactors that allowed for real-time monitoring of changes. A control group of cells remained on Earth at the Kennedy Space Center. The samples that had been in orbit showed a decrease in the ability to self-repair, increased vulnerability to DNA damage, and signs of inflammation in the mitochondria.
Although the negative effects partially disappeared after the cells returned to Earth, the researchers emphasize that microgravity and space radiation can significantly accelerate molecular aging.
"Space is the ultimate stress test for the human body," said Catriona Jemison, director of the Sanford Stem Cell Institute.
According to her, the results are important not only for protecting astronauts during long missions, but also for modeling aging processes and studying diseases, including cancer, on Earth.