SAMPLES from an experimental research conducted by Shenzhen scientists aboard China’s Tiangong space station have been brought back to Earth by the Shenzhou-19 return capsule.

Led by Lei Xiaohua — a researcher from the Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction at the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) — the study focuses on the 3D growth and development of human pluripotent stem cells in a microgravity environment.

This experiment was the first time that long-term cryopreservation technology for the automated 3D growth of human pluripotent stem cells in orbit was validated on China’s space station, adding another significant research milestone to China’s space life sciences field.

Lei explained that the team will subsequently thaw the 3D stem cell samples returned from space, hopefully elucidating the growth patterns and developmental potential of human pluripotent stem cells in the microgravity environment of space.

They will also explore the molecular regulatory mechanisms behind enhanced stemness.

“The experiment will help humanity further understand the 3D growth characteristics and adaptive changes of cells in space, and it has profound significance for the health protection of astronauts and space pharmaceuticals,” Lei said.

The samples were among those from China’s 25 scientific experiments, which totaled approximately 37.25 kilograms, brought back to Earth on the Shenzhou-19 mission last week.

Part of the eighth batch of experimental materials from the orbiting laboratory, the returned materials originated from experiments in space life sciences, materials science, and new space technologies, according to the CAS.

The biological samples comprise 20 different types, the largest variety ever returned during the operational phase of the space station. They include bone cells, human stem cells, bronchial epithelial cells, human and animal embryos, protein samples, and fruit flies, according to the CAS.

Researchers will analyze these samples to explore key areas, such as the cellular mechanisms behind bone loss in space, the impact of microgravity on the growth and maintenance of human stem cells, and the role of space radiation in cancer development.

Studies will also explore how space affects early mammalian embryonic development and alters protein structure-function relationships in microgravity. Additional experiments involving fruit flies will investigate their adaptation to the unique conditions of space.

The findings are expected to offer crucial data and theoretical support for safeguarding human health during space missions while also potentially contributing valuable insights to medical research on Earth.

(Tang Li)