TOKYO, Japan, Oct 29, (Agencies): A groundbreaking study conducted by a team of Japanese scientists, including Professor Teruhiko Wakayama from the University of Yamanashi's Advanced Biotechnology Centre and researchers from the Japan Aerospace Space Agency (JAXA), has shown that mouse embryos can be grown in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station (ISS) with normal development. This pioneering research suggests the possibility of human reproduction in space.

In August 2021, the team sent frozen mouse embryos aboard a rocket to the ISS. Astronauts on the station thawed these early-stage embryos using a specialized device and cultivated them for four days in the unique microgravity conditions of space. The embryos developed normally into blastocysts, which are cells that eventually form the fetus and placenta.

The researchers published their findings in the scientific journal iScience, confirming that gravity had no significant impact on the embryos' development. They also reported that there were no notable alterations in the DNA and genes of the blastocysts when they were analyzed after being returned to Earth.

This study is hailed as "the first-ever" to demonstrate that mammals can thrive in space. The University of Yamanashi and the national research institute Riken issued a joint statement, calling it "the world's first experiment that cultured early-stage mammalian embryos under complete microgravity of ISS."

The next step in this research involves transplanting the blastocysts cultured in the ISS microgravity environment into mice to verify if mice can successfully give birth, thereby confirming the normalcy of the embryos. Such investigations hold significant importance for the future of space exploration and potential colonization missions.

NASA's Artemis program, for example, aims to return humans to the Moon to learn how to sustain long-term living there, with the ultimate goal of preparing for a mission to Mars by the late 2030s. This pioneering research offers hope and insight into the possibility of human reproduction beyond Earth, a critical aspect of future space exploration.