Project description:The extent to which plants can enhance human life support on other worlds depends on the ability of plants to thrive in extraterrestrial environments using in situ resources. Using samples from Apollo 11, 12 and 17, we show that the terrestrial plant Arabidopsis thaliana germinates and grows in diverse lunar regoliths. However, our results show that growth is challenging; the lunar regolith plants were slow to develop, expressed genes indicative of ionic stresses, and many showed severe stress morphologies. Therefore, although in situ lunar regolith can be useful for plant production in lunar habitats, they are not benign substrates. The interaction between plants and lunar regolith will need to be further elucidated, and likely mitigated, to enable efficient use of lunar regolith for life support.
Project description:Bone formation, but not resorption, was promoted under lunar gravity, which was suggested to be related to mastication. Appropriate oral and dental management is necessary in lunar life.
Project description:Gravity plays a fundamental role in maintaining the structure and function of biological tissues, particularly within the musculoskeletal system. In space, the absence or reduction of gravitational forces leads to musculoskeletal deterioration, posing significant challenges for astronauts and individuals experiencing prolonged immobilization. Consequently, the effects of microgravity on muscle and bone have been extensively studied. Recent research highlights the crucial role of tendons in force transmission and mechanical stability; however, their transcriptomic response to reduced gravity remains largely unexplored. Here, we examined the adaptations of the Achilles tendons to lunar gravity (1/6 of Earth gravity) using RNA sequencing of tissue samples obtained from mice reared in the International Space Station for 25-26 days. Compared to quadriceps femoris muscles and brown adipose tissue, a greater number of genes were upregulated in the Achilles tendons under reduced gravity. Enrichment analyses revealed a significant upregulation of mitochondrial energy production in the Achilles tendons exposed to reduced gravity. Meanwhile, genes associated with extracellular matrix organization and collagen integrity were downregulated. Although histological examination showed no obvious structural differences between the lunar and Earth gravity groups, the expression of Atp5b, a subunit of ATP synthase, was enhanced in the lunar gravity group. Our findings suggest that mechanical loading regulates tendons by influencing mitochondrial energy production and extracellular matrix composition. These insights may contribute to therapeutic strategies for tendon degeneration associated with aging and disuse-related conditions.