Stem cells destined to be grown into tiny, simplified, spherical versions of the human brain will soon be launched to the International Space Station (ISS).
In preparation for their journey to space, the cells were derived from adult human skin cells, according to a statement from the ISS National Lab, a U.S. government-funded national laboratory. The resulting stem cells are known as "induced pluripotent stem cells," which, under the influence of various chemical cues, can be made to transform into any type of cell in the body.
In this instance, once aboard the ISS, the cells will be coaxed to form neurons, the cells that send electrical and chemical signals in the brain, as well as microglia and astrocytes, two additional cell types found in the brain that perform a variety of tasks, including defending the brain from infection and providing structural support.
Together, these three cell types will "self-assemble," or essentially glom together, into small spheres — appropriately known as "spheroids" — that can be used to model human brain diseases and to test drugs.
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