28 December 2017 - - Madison, Wisconsin-based human cell developer and supplier Cellular Dynamics International's (CDI's) iCell Cardiomyocytes were launched into space via SpaceX's 13th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Dec.15, 2017, the company said.
The purpose of the scientific research project utilizing CDI's iCell Cardiomyocytes in space is to validate the function of NASA's new bioculture system for automated cell culture on the ISS and to study human cardiac cell function in microgravity.
Developed and manufactured by CDI, iCell Cardiomyocytes are derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and recapitulate many of the salient features of native healthy and disease-related human cardiac function, including electrical activity, calcium cycling, contraction, as well as normal and pathological responses to environmental changes.
The bioculture system is a new research facility that will let scientists carry out long-term cell biology studies on a broad range of subjects and diverse cell and tissue types.
This new hardware will allow for real-time remote monitoring of cell cultures, and finer control over the conditions in which they grow.
CDI, a Fujifilm company, is a developer and supplier of human cells used in drug discovery, toxicity testing, and regenerative medicine applications.
Able to create iPSCs and differentiated tissue-specific cells from any individual, the company's inventoried iCell products and donor-specific MyCell Products are available in the quantity, quality, purity, and reproducibility required for drug and cell therapy development.
Tokyo, Japan-based Fujifilm Holdings Corp. a vast portfolio of chemical, mechanical, optical, electronic, software and production technologies to a broad spectrum of industries, including healthcare, graphic systems optical devices, digital imaging, and document products.