Microcarrier-seeded muscle cells exhibit delayed differentiation in simulated microgravity compared to a terrestrial...

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Space Biology
• Cell Culture Engineering

Background:

• Developing methods for in-space food production is crucial for long-duration space missions.
• Cultivated meat offers a sustainable alternative to traditional agriculture.
• Microgravity (µG) environments present unique challenges and opportunities for cell culture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility of using microcarrier-seeded muscle cells for cultivated meat production in simulated microgravity.
• To evaluate muscle cell expansion and differentiation under microgravity conditions using gelatin microcarriers.
• To establish a proof-of-concept for space-based cultivated meat development.

Main Methods:

• C2C12 muscle cells were cultured on gelatin microcarriers in both 1G (stirred bioreactor) and simulated microgravity bioreactors.
• Cell expansion, differentiation, nuclear morphology, and gene expression were analyzed over 7 days.
• Techniques included flow cytometry and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Main Results:

• Microgravity conditions slowed down C2C12 cell expansion compared to 1G conditions.
• Cells in both 1G and µG showed nuclear elongation and extended cell bodies, indicating early differentiation.
• Myogenesis was enhanced in both conditions, but differentiation was delayed and gene expression significantly lower under µG.

Conclusions:

• Microgravity can initiate muscle cell differentiation on microcarriers, supporting the concept of space-based cultivated meat.
• While microgravity limits early-stage cell expansion and delays differentiation, the process remains feasible.
• Optimizing culture conditions is essential to enhance muscle cell functionality and accelerate differentiation in microgravity for future space applications.