Spaceflight-induced contractile and mitochondrial dysfunction in an automated heart-on-a-chip platform.

ABSTRACT: With current plans for manned missions to Mars and beyond, the need to better understand, prevent, and counteract the harmful effects of long-duration spaceflight on the body is becoming increasingly important. In this study, an automated heart-on-a-chip platform was flown to the International Space Station on a 1-mo mission during which contractile cardiac function was monitored in real-time. Upon return to Earth, engineered human heart tissues (EHTs) were further analyzed with ultrastructural imaging and RNA sequencing to investigate the impact of prolonged microgravity on cardiomyocyte function and health. Spaceflight EHTs exhibited significantly reduced twitch forces, increased incidences of arrhythmias, and increased signs of sarcomere disruption and mitochondrial damage. Transcriptom

SUBMITTER: Mair DB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11459163 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature