Small worms will be sent into space to study muscle loss

The British Space Agency announced on the 11th that it will send thousands of small worms to the International Space Station to conduct experiments earlier this year to gain a deeper understanding of the muscle loss caused by space flight.

The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Exeter, the University of Nottingham and Lancaster University. Caenorhabditis elegans will be enclosed in a ventilated plastic bag and placed in an incubator before being sent into space. The worms, which are only 1.5 mm long, will multiply in space, and new adults are expected to grow up in 6.5 days, when they are completely frozen and sent back to Earth for analysis.

The researchers hope that the relevant experimental results will help the academic community to develop new methods for treating muscular dystrophy, and even find ways to improve the efficacy of diabetes. According to Tim Etheridge, a scholar at the University of Exeter, worms are a good model for studying human muscles. At the molecular level, both structurally and metabolically, they have many similarities with humans. The biological properties of C. elegans in space such as muscle loss and energy utilization are similar to humans.

Space flight and stationed space stations are extremely environmentally viable for humans and may have multiple negative effects on health. Studies have shown that astronauts lose up to 40% of their muscles in life for six months in space. (According to Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Jiawei)


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