Space‑mouse Stem‑cell Study

These years, many people hope that we can spend more time away from the Earth. But these ideas could be influenced by some problems, such as bone disease, heart illness and eye problems. The most worrying part is that we may not produce healthy kids after space travel.

Now a study has tried to solve that problem with the creation of a new kind of animal: space mice babies. Researchers at Kyoto University took stem cells from mice and froze them so they could be stored well. They were then sent to the International Space Station (ISS), where they were kept in a fridge for six months.

When they came back down to Kyoto, the team examined them to see if there were any changes, and could not find any. But to test further, they took those cells and put them into a mouse, where they finally had mice babies after the mice mated. They found that the mice themselves appeared healthy and the mice babies were normal. They suggested that frozen germ cells stay healthy for at least six months in space.

"It is important to examine how long we can store germ cells in the ISS to better understand the limits of storage for future human spaceflight," said Mito Kanatsu-Shinohara. The research suggests that similar cells could be frozen for future spaceflight. But more work is needed, including watching the mice throughout their life as well as for any changes that might be seen in their babies.