Bioreactor: Flight results [Graduation day] While bioreactor research in space is relatively new, it shows great promise. For 5 days on the STS-70 mission, a bioreactor cultivated human colon cancer cells, which grew to 30 times the volume of control specimens grown on Earth. This significant result was reproduced on STS-85 which grew mature structures that more closely match what are found in tumors in humans. Engineered cartilage samples (PNAS images; link to 1139 x 1124-pixel, 352K JPG). Full caption: Construct structure. (A and B) Full cross sections of constructs from Mir and Earth groups. (x10.) (C and D) Representative areas at the construct surfaces. (x200.) GAG is stained red with safranin-O. Photos: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Rotary Cell Culture is a trademark of Synthecon Inc. Mir Increment 3 (Sept. 16, 1996 - Jan. 22, 1997) grew specimens of tissue engineered cartilage that surprised investigators. In the December 1997 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (94: 13885-90, 1997), Dr. Lisa E. Freed of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and and her colleagues reported that initially disclike specimens tend to become spherical in space, demonstrating that tissues can grow and differentiate into distinct structures in microgravity. The Mir samples were smaller, more spherical, and mechanically weaker than Earth-grown control samples. These results demonstrate the feasibility of microgravity tissue engineering and may have implications for long human space voyages and for treating musculoskeletal disorders on earth. A separate commentary (PNAS, pp. 13380-2) notes that bioreactor research in space "offers an unprecedented opportunity for studying complex fluid assemblies...." By mid-1998, the bioreactor investigators were deep into analysis of specimens from Mir Increments 6 and 7. Increment 6 (Sept. 25, 1997-Jan. 31-1998) will provide a stop-action movie of bone marrow, neuroendocrine, and kidney tubule cells as they are cultivated and then fixed every 7 to 10 days for up to 105 days in space (a portion of each batch is injected into new media to continue the cell line). Increment 7 (Jan. 22-June 12, 1998), was the first opportunity to grow human breast cancer cells in this most lifelike artificial setting as we work to understand how this killer grows and moves through the body. Bioreactor research aboard the Shuttle (above) is valuable but limited in duration. Completing work on Mir will let the bioreactor science team make full use of the Biotechnology Facility (right) proposed for International Space Station. (right; link to 490x898-pixel, 206K JPG of rack) proposed for International Space Station. (link to 1536x984 JPG of astronauts with Bioreactor) Graduation day Experience aboard Mir has turned microgravity bioreactor research into a mature science. The first long-duration Bioreactor experiment (Increment 3) saw the Bioreactor grow large cultures of bovine cartilage cells. A supporting technology mission (Bio-3D on Increment 6) demonstrated the BSTC as a repository for cells awaiting their turns in the bioreactor. The last NASA stay aboard Mir (Increment 7) was crucial as it brought everything together in an effort to culture human tissue in the Bioreactor. This was a full-scale rehearsal for operations aboard the International Space Station (right). In addition to important science results, this work provided basic training on crew procedures and equipment design and operation. At the end of NASA activities aboard Mir in June 1998, the NASA bioreactor team will synthesize these lessons into an advanced program that will let them take maximum advantage of International Space Station at the earliest opportunity, and produce groundbreaking scientific results that will advance medical science. [Bioreactor lead story][Tools][Ground-based research][Flight results] Author: Dave Dooling Suggestions: Dan Woodard THIS IS AN OFFICIAL NASA WEB PAGE ~~ See Responsible Parties ~~ Last modified on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 1998