Spaceflight May Accelerate Stem Cell Aging Tenfold
Traveling to space is notoriously hard on the human body. Astronauts can lose bone density, their brain and eye nerves may swell, and their gene expression may shift in ways that resemble accelerated aging.
NASA’s landmark 2019 “twins study” revealed how spaceflight alters the body at the molecular level. Scott Kelly, who spent 340 days aboard the International Space Station, returned with shortened telomeres, DNA damage, and reduced cognitive function, while his twin brother Mark, who remained on Earth, did not. Some of those changes persisted months after Scott’s return.
Now, new research published Sept. 4 in Cell Stem Cell suggests stem cells also undergo rapid aging during spaceflight. Stem cells, which repair tissues and generate new blood, brain, and bone cells, “age about 10 times faster in space than on the ground,” said Dr. Catriona Jamieson, director of the Sanford Stem Cell Institute at the University of California, San Diego, and the study’s lead author.
To investigate, Jamieson’s team collected bone marrow stem cells from patients undergoing hip replacement surgery. The samples were divided between earthbound controls and space-bound “nanobioreactors,” compact devices no larger than an iPhone, flown aboard four SpaceX missions to the station between 2021 and 2023. The cells spent up to 45 days in orbit before returning for comparison. The results were striking. The spacefaring cells showed increased inflammation, more replication errors, weaker telomere maintenance, and signs of genomic instability ? all hallmarks of aging. They also exhibited heightened stress responses, which had left them unable to replenish their energy reserves.
The findings come as NASA and other agencies prepare for longer missions to the moon and Mars, and as private companies send civilians into orbit. Jamieson said the work could guide countermeasures to protect astronaut health and potentially open new avenues for treating age-related conditions such as cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and cardiovascular decline.
“Predicting, preventing, and reversing stem cell aging under conditions of stress or inflammation is where we’re going,” Jamieson said.
Yesel Kang Copy Editor teen/1758697339/1613367750
1. Who conducted the study suggesting stem cells age faster in space, and what institution are they affiliated with?
2. What did NASA’s 2019 “twins study” reveal about Scott Kelly’s health after spending 340 days in space?
3. How did Jamieson’s team test the effects of spaceflight on stem cells, and what tools did they use?
4. What changes did spacefaring stem cells show compared to Earth-bound controls?
1. If you traveled to space, when would you want to go and why?
2. If you spent time in space, what would you do to protect your health?
3. If you could contribute to a space mission, what role would you choose and why?
4. Do you have a positive view of spaceflight, and why do you feel that way?
Traveling to space is notoriously hard on the human body. Astronauts can lose bone density, their brain and eye nerves may swell, and their gene expression may shift in ways that resemble accelerated aging.
