Effects of microgravity on human iPSC-derived neural organoids on the International Space

NASA research on the International Space Station (ISS) cultured 3D human neural organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for one month in low-Earth orbit. Parallel Earth-based controls were used to compare gene expression and histology, revealing accelerated cellular maturation in microgravity. This dataset contains results from dopaminergic organoids, part of a continuing study to understand neurological effects of space travel and treat neurodegenerative diseases.

Use Cases

• Analyze accelerated cellular maturation in microgravity based on gene expression data mentioned in the description
• Model neurodegenerative disease progression using iPSC-derived dopaminergic organoids described in the study
• Compare space-based and Earth-based neural organoid cultures based on the parallel control experiment
• Investigate the impact of low-Earth orbit on cell proliferation and maturation genes referenced in the results

Strengths

• Data originates from a unique experiment conducted on the International Space Station
• Includes parallel Earth-based control samples for comparative analysis
• Organoids were derived from iPSCs of individuals with Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and non-symptomatic controls

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment
• Data is provided in BIN format, which may require specialized tools for access

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Organoids were cultured for one month on the ISS using a sealed cryovial method, with live samples returned to Earth for RNA expression and histological analysis.

Time Range

The experiment was conducted during a specific mission, but the exact dates are not provided in the input.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-13 20:08:34.457161; freshness should be verified

Geography

International Space Station (low-Earth orbit) and parallel Earth-based laboratories.