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Free keywords:
RANDOM POSITIONING MACHINE; HUMAN ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS; TISSUE
GROWTH-FACTOR; SIMULATED MICROGRAVITY; CARCINOMA CELLS;
EXTRACELLULAR-MATRIX; VASCULOGENIC MIMICRY; PARABOLIC FLIGHT; ALTERED
GRAVITY; IN-VITROBiocompatibility; Bioreactor; Growth factors; Apoptosis;
Polyetheretherketone; Thyroid cancer;
Abstract:
Human follicular thyroid cancer cells were cultured in Space to investigate the impact of microgravity on 3D growth. For this purpose, we designed and constructed a cell container that can endure enhanced physical forces, is connected to fluid storage chambers, performs media changes and cell harvesting automatically and supports cell viability. The container consists of a cell suspension chamber, two reserve tanks for medium and fixative and a pump for fluid exchange. The selected materials proved durable, non-cytotoxic, and did not inactivate RNAlater. This container was operated automatically during the unmanned Shenzhou-8 Space mission. FTC-133 human follicular thyroid cancer cells were cultured in Space for 10 days. Culture medium was exchanged after 5 days in Space and the cells were fixed after 10 days. The experiment revealed a scaffold-free formation of extraordinary large three-dimensional aggregates by thyroid cancer cells with altered expression of EGF and CTGF genes under real microgravity. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
