Cultivation of single cells in space

The purpose of this review is to present an updated and comprehensive analysis of the experiments with single cells performed in space. Especially the results of the investigations performed in Biorack on the D-1 mission clearly show that important cellular functions are changing in microgravity. Cell proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, membrane properties, and cytoplasmic streaming underwent significant alteration during exposure to space flight conditions in a variety of single cells cultures spanning from bacteria to mammalian cells. These findings open new and interesting perspectives to basic and applied research in microgravity. The focus of this paper is on the cultivation of mammalian cells in space laboratories and on the related instrumentation. While Biorack is a useful and efficient instrument for simple studies in Spacelab, the development of new facilities like incubators with automated fixation devices as well as of more complex bioreactors is strongly recommended.