An integration design of gas exchange, bubble separation, and flow control in a space cell culture system on board the SJ-10 satellite

Abstract

Pathophysiological changes of astronauts under space microgravity involve complex factors and require an integrative perspective to fully understand the mechanisms. The readouts from space cell biology experiments strongly depend on the hardware and especially the cell bioreactor that is used in distinct spacecraft. Herein, a specialized cell culture bioreactor is designed for culturing mammalian cells on board the SJ-10 satellite. This hardware focuses mainly on satisfying the requirements of gas exchange, bubble separation, and flow control, as well as their functional and structural integration on cell culture within the technical and environmental constraints of the spacecraft platform under microgravity. A passive bubble separator is constructed and is connected in series to an individual cell culture chamber to remove the bubbles that were produced in orbit during cell growth. A moderate flow rate is preset to provide sufficient mass transfer and low shear stress in a well-designed flow circuit. Together with other modules of temperature control, in situ microscopic imaging, and online imaging acquisition, this novel space cell culture system is successfully used to culture human endothelial cells and rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the SJ-10 mission. The advantages and shortcomings of the integration design are discussed for this type of the hardware.

Biosignature preparation for ocean worlds (BioPOW) instrument prototype

“…Future prototypes will focus on replacing the 3D-printed materials with polymer, glass, or metal-based manifolds, switching to reagent introduction via direct injection into the manifold, and performing environmental testing in thermal vacuum chambers and on reduced gravity flights to continue optimizing performance and raising the TRL of the system for space flight. Gas-tight fittings will likely reduce bubble generation, but other mitigation strategies like bubble traps, which have been demonstrated in microgravity, will also be investigated (Sun et al, 2019;Padgen et al, 2020). Additionally, integrated flow sensors and pressure sensors at the inlets and outlet of the derivatization tank respectively will be necessary to ensure operation in microgravity or unexpected tilt regimes.…”

3D Bioprinting in Microgravity: Opportunities, Challenges, and Possible Applications in Space

“…In addition, fluids in general will behave differently and phenomena such as gas exchange, crucial for cell survival during cultivation, are strongly altered. [ 31 ] Both need to be considered in constructing 3D cultivation devices for use in microgravity. However, as discussed below in further detail, microgravity may also offer distinct advantages for different bioprinting technologies.…”

Potential Roles of YAP/TAZ Mechanotransduction in Spaceflight-Induced Liver Dysfunction

“…In space, osteoblasts showed disrupted cytoskeleton with disassembled F-actin fibers, shorter and wavier microtubules, as well as decreased α-tubulin mRNA after spaceflight [110,111]. For endothelial cells aboard the SJ-10 recoverable scientific satellite for 10 days, the vimentin, an intermediate filament protein, was increased in addition to the deceased amounts of β-actin and α-tubulin [112,113]. The distribution of cytoskeletal components was rearranged in this case, where F-actin was concentrated on the cell periphery while vimentin was accumulated in the perinuclear region.…”