Researchers noted the nature of the PICM-19 cells was not obviously changed by exposure to
the space environment. However, the study’s results should be viewed as preliminary because
a greater number of observations are needed for additional statistical analyses. Also, different
types of cell culture platforms other than the one used in this study (3-D spheroid culture vs 2-
dimensional culture) might be tested. Finally in neither the immediately assayed PICM-19 cells
nor the PICM-19 cells continuously cultured postflight did there appear to be any new unique
cellular characteristics, permanent or transient, that would enhance their utility for
biotechnological purposes, such as their use in an artificial liver support device (Talbot 2010).
NLP-CELLS-JATROPHA
This study aimed to compare the in vitro growth of plant cultures from 3 different plant parts,
cotyledon, leaf, and stem sections, derived from Jatropha from different geographic locations
(Brazil, India, and Tanzania) outside and inside the petriGAP. Cell growth was observed for all
Jatropha accessions both inside and outside the petriGAP for all evaluated plant materials.
Growth parameters were affected by geographic origin, plant part type and environment. The
type of plant part type influenced the type of cell growth and subsequent plantlet regeneration
capacity. Overall growth showed no abnormalities. The current study shows Jatropha in vitro
cell cultures are suitable for growth inside petriGAPs for a period of 12 weeks. The parameters
evaluated in this study provide the basic ground work and preflight assessment needed to
justify a model for microgravity studies with Jatropha in vitro cell cultures. Future studies
should focus on results of experiments performed with Jatropha in vitro cultures in
microgravity, including culture growth and potential genetic changes and differential gene
expression (Vendrame 2013).
PUBLICATION(S)
Vendrame WA, Pinares A. Characterizing parameters of Jatropha Curcas cell cultures for
microgravity studies. Advances in Space Research. 2013;51(11):2069-2074.
doi:10.1016/j.asr.2012.12.019.
Talbot NC, Caperna TC, Blomberg L, Graninger PG, Stodieck LS. The effects of spaceflight and
microgravity on the growth and differentiation of PICM-19 pig liver stem cells. In Vitro Cellular
& Developmental Biology – Animal. 2010;46:502–515. doi:10.1007/s11626- 010 -9302-6.
This investigation is complete; however additional results are pending publication.