[ad_1]
Nobody would deny the risks of living in space. While floating in microgravity seems like a safe environment, astronauts living aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are prone to a number of health problems.
While the causes of things like muscle atrophy and loss of bone density are known, other conditions remain a mystery. Researchers now think they have an answer thanks to recent discoveries discovered by NASA’s GeneLab open source platform.
The results show that the mitochondria found in human cells can function poorly in conditions of microgravity. This discovery has many implications for future long-distance space travel and the health of current ISS astronauts.
The powerhouse of the cell
Anyone who has gone through the public school system knows that mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell. However, scientists have long wondered what else it does. As it happens, mitochondria could play a role in the maintenance of several body systems.
The researchers found that mice with mitochondrial dysfunction were also prone to eye and liver problems. Meanwhile, they speculate that NASA astronaut Scott Kelly struggled with immune system problems during his time aboard the ISS for the same reason.
The team published their research in the journal Cell. It includes data gathered from decades of ISS studies. Samples of 59 astronauts are also part of the data.
Afshin Beheshti, the lead author of the study, says: “We have found a universal mechanism that explains the kinds of changes we see in the body in space and in a place that we weren’t expecting. Everything gets thrown out of my mind and it all starts with mitochondria “.
It appears that living in space impairs the ability of mitochondria to produce energy. When this process is stopped, other organs in the body (as well as the immune system) are susceptible to damage.
Problem to face
The space sector is working hard to experiment with ways that allow astronauts to travel farther from Earth and live outside the world for longer periods of time. This discovery highlights a key challenge represented by these ambitions. Living away from the Earth is difficult for the body. Now that scientists may know why they can start addressing it.
Beheshti says, “This is a big step in understanding how our bodies can live healthily out of this world. And the good news is that this is a problem we can already start addressing. To get started, we can look at countermeasures and medications. that we already use to address mitochondrial disorders on Earth to see how they might work in space. “
Indeed, researchers can begin to investigate whether or not mitochondria are responsible for a number of problematic health conditions that astronauts often experience. They can also work on solutions that allow humans to travel to Mars and even establish a permanent colony on the moon.
It will be interesting to see what new research will result from this study. Likewise, keep an eye on the impact it will have on the space industry in the coming years.
Source link
