Mouse embryos can reach an early stage of development in space.
The discovery suggests that the radiation and weightlessness experienced in space may not immediately hinder mammalian reproduction, as reported by researchers on October 27 in iScience.
This new study focuses on a specific aspect of the complex process of reproduction and development. Normally, a blastocyst forms after fertilization and implants in the uterus, eventually developing into the placenta and fetus.
However, this result serves as a starting point for biologists, according to Christiane Hahn, a space biologist at the European Space Research and Technology Centre in Noordwijk, Netherlands, who was not involved in the research. Mouse embryos are the first mammal embryos to be grown in space, which is an important step in understanding the effects of space on human reproduction. Previous experiments have involved animals such as salamanders, rice fish, and quail.
2023-11-21 12:00:00
Post from www.sciencenews.org