Genome Wide Expression Profiling of Cancer Cell Lines Cultured in Microgravity Reveals Significant Dysregulation of Cell Cycle and MicroRNA Gene Networks.

Zero gravity causes several changes in metabolic and functional aspects of the human body and experiments in space flight have demonstrated alterations in cancer growth and progression. This study reports the genome wide expression profiling of a colorectal cancer cell line-DLD-1, and a lymphoblast leukemic cell line-MOLT-4, under simulated microgravity in an effort to understand central processes and cellular functions that are dysregulated among both cell lines. Altered cell morphology, reduced cell viability and an aberrant cell cycle profile in comparison to their static controls were observed in both cell lines under microgravity.

Enhancement of adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells by supplementation with umbilical cord blood serum.

Umbilical cord blood serum (UCBS) is a promising replacement for animal sera for the culture of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC), the unique serum composition of UCBS appearing to have variable effects on their proliferation and differentiation. Conditioning UCBS with methods such as charcoal stripping assists specific processes such as adipogenesis and osteogenesis in hMSCs. The charcoal stripping of serum removes lipophilic materials such as oestrogens, which are known inhibitors of adipogenesis.