Studies on the effects of microgravity on the ultrastructure and function of cultured mammalian cells

Four cultures of monkey kidney cell line, JTC-12, were flown on the Spacelab-J (SL-J) mission during 8 days. The results of the present study showed that the space flight gave no essential effect on morphology, cell cycle, glucose consumption and urokinase production of the mammalian culture cell. However, the cell proliferation slightly decreased under microgravity. Moreover, the lack of gravity induced the trypsin-treated dissociated cells to keep floating in the culture medium. Therefore, the attachment of the cells onto the substratum was delayed, and that caused difficulties in subculturing the cells. The present research also offered some important information on techniques for establishment of cell cultures in space laboratories.