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Updated: May 26, 2026
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Enzymatic Isolation of Skeletal Muscle Interstitial Extracellular Vesicles
Published on: February 7, 2025
Extracellular vesicle transcriptomic analysis to investigate muscle adaptation in microgravity
Samantha Ali1, Maddalena Parafati2, Zachary F Greenberg1
1Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
Iscience
|May 25, 2026
Summary
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from space-flown muscle tissue chips reveal molecular changes linked to aging and microgravity. These EVs can serve as biomarkers for physiological stress and adaptation during spaceflight.
Area of Science:
- Space biology
- Cellular biology
- Biomarker discovery
Background:
- Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are key mediators of intercellular communication.
- EVs carry molecular cargo reflecting cellular states and responses to stressors.
- Understanding cellular adaptation to spaceflight is crucial for astronaut health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate transcriptomic profiles of EVs from human skeletal muscle tissue chips.
- To characterize age- and microgravity-induced adaptations in muscle tissue.
- To explore the potential of EVs as non-invasive biomarkers for spaceflight-induced stress.
Main Methods:
- Human skeletal muscle tissue chips were cultured under microgravity and ground control conditions.
- EVs were isolated using a magnetic capture-release method (ExCy).
- Next-generation sequencing and differential gene expression analysis were performed on EV RNA.
Main Results:
- Identified age- and spaceflight-specific transcriptomic signatures in muscle-derived EVs.
- Young donor EVs in microgravity showed upregulated oxidative stress and signaling pathways.
- Older donor EVs exhibited markers of mitochondrial quality control, ER stress, and proteostasis failure.
Conclusions:
- Muscle-derived EVs capture environment- and age-dependent molecular signatures in space.
- EVs reflect physiological stress and tissue adaptation under microgravity.
- EVs show promise as non-invasive biomarkers for spaceflight research.
