Microgravity on the International Space Station promotes survival and proliferation of human stem cell cardiomyocytes
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ABSTRACT: Efficient generation of functional cardiomyocytes from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) is critical for their use in regenerative medicine and other applications. In this study, we evaluated the effect of space microgravity (µg) on the differentiation of hiPSC-derived cardiac progenitors compared with parallel 1g condition on the International Space Station. Cryopreserved 3D cardiac progenitors derived from hiPSCs were cultured for 3 weeks. Compared with 1g culture, the µg culture had larger sphere sizes, increased expression of proliferation markers, higher counts of nuclei, and higher cell viability. Highly enriched cardiomyocytes generated in µg had appropriate gene expression and cardiac structure as well as improved function including contractility and Ca2+ handling. RNA-seq analysis of 3-day cultures revealed that short-term exposure of cardiac progenitor spheres to space microgravity upregulated genes involved in cell proliferation, cardiac differentiation, and contraction. These results indicate that space microgravity increased survival and proliferation of hiPSC-CMs and improved their structures and functions.
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE188793 | GEO | 2022/09/08
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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