The effects of microgravity on differentiation and cell growth in stem cells and cancer stem cells

Abstract

Abstract A spaceflight has enormous influence on the health of space voyagers due to the combined effects of microgravity and cosmic radiation. Known effects of microgravity (μg) on cells are changes in differentiation and growth. Considering the commercialization of spaceflight, future space exploration, and long-term manned flights, research focusing on differentiation and growth of stem cells and cancer cells exposed to real (r-) and simulated (s-) μg is of high interest for regenerative medicine and cancer research. In this review, we focus on platforms to study r- and s-μg as well as the impact of μg on cancer stem cells in the field of gastrointestinal cancer, lung cancer, and osteosarcoma. Moreover, we review the current knowledge of different types of stem cells exposed to μg conditions with regard to differentiation and engineering of cartilage, bone, vasculature, heart, skin, and liver constructs. Significance statement Microgravity provides a unique environment for cell culture and has been shown to induce cellular changes and processes that could not be achieved under normal gravitational conditions. Over the past years, it has therefore gained increasing importance in different research fields such as cancer research, where microgravity may help understanding and suppressing tumor metastasis, or tissue engineering, where it induces the scaffold-free formation of three-dimensional multicellular spheroids. This review will give a concise overview of the current knowledge on the effects of microgravity on stem cells and cancer stem cells, and will highlight novel therapeutic options derived from it.