MicroAge mission: experimental design and hardware for a bespoke culture system supporting tissue-engineered skeletal muscle.

Authors

Samantha W Jones, Shahjahan Shigdar, Jonathan Temple, Benjamin Tollitt, Adam Janvier, Fiona Mutter, James R Henstock, Jessica Ohana, David A Turner, Christopher McArdle, Gianluca Neri, William Blackler, Georgi Olentsenko, Kai F Hoettges, Anne McArdle, Malcolm J Jackson

Published in

NPJ microgravity. Volume 12. Issue 1. Feb 21, 2026. Epub Feb 21, 2026.

Abstract

Microgravity provides a unique model for accelerated skeletal muscle loss and potentially muscle ageing. During spaceflight, astronauts experience pronounced muscle atrophy, similar to age-related decline on Earth but over a much shorter timescale. Despite daily aerobic and resistance exercise on the International Space Station (ISS), countermeasures remain suboptimal, reflecting similar challenges seen in ageing populations. The MicroAge Mission used microgravity on the ISS to assess whether the molecular mechanisms behind reduced adaptive responses to contractile activity during ageing resemble those triggered by spaceflight. It also tested proof-of-concept genetic interventions, including Heat Shock Protein 10 (HSP10) overexpression, to mitigate muscle atrophy and functional loss. A tissue-engineering approach was used to fabricate human skeletal muscle constructs secured to 3D-printed scaffolds. These scaffolds incorporated microfluidic channels to interface with the flight hardware's fluid-handling system. The hardware, developed by Kayser Space Ltd, was designed to operate with the European Space Agency's (ESA) Kubik incubator on the ISS. This research addresses key methodological constraints in low Earth orbit (LEO) experimentation, outlining pre-flight protocol development, muscle construct biofabrication methods, and operational considerations. The findings provide a translational framework for future studies on musculoskeletal degeneration, with implications for therapies targeting both terrestrial ageing and astronaut musculoskeletal health.

PMID:
41723202
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 15 Sep 2026.

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