SpaceBiomechanics: Effects of microgravity on cell and tissue mechanics during wound healing

空间生物力学：微重力对伤口愈合过程中细胞和组织力学的影响

• 批准号: EP/X03139X/1
• 负责人: Yanlan Mao
• 金额: $ 24.26万
• 依托单位: University College London
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX03139X%2F1
• 关键词: SpaceBiomechanics; Effects; microgravity; cell; tissue

Humans are fascinated with the possibility of life beyond Earth. The last few decades have seen significant global investment in space exploration, with establishments such as the European and UK Space Agencies. However, even though space craft engineering is improving, one major problem with space travel is the unknown effects of reduced gravity on the biology of humans and other organisms. This knowledge is critical if we want to sustain life beyond Earth. From a cellular perspective, how are the mechanical forces experienced by tissues affected under microgravity? Given that cell shape and function are related, how is microgravity changing the shape, and therefore function, of cells? Critically, under microgravity conditions, tissue repair is severely compromised, yet the mechanistic reasons are still unknown. Does tissue mechanics play a role in wound repair during spaceflight? To address these questions, I will first elucidate the role of 3D cell and tissue mechanics during wound repair under regular (Earth) gravity. Then, I will determine how microgravity affects cell shape during tissue development and homeostasis. Finally, I will explore the role of cell andtissue mechanics on wound repair under microgravity. To achieve this, I will combine advanced 4D imaging, image analysis techniques, machine learning and computational mechanical simulations to analyse the 3D cell shape and mechanical dynamics of the Drosophila wing disc during tissue repair. To mimic microgravity conditions, I will use a Random Position Machine on Earth to grow flies, such that they develop and repair under microgravity. Altogether, this work will shed light on why tissue repair is disrupted during spaceflight, which will aid the development of treatments to improve the quality and longevity of human life on future space missions and life beyond Earth. My research plan, together with my proposed training, will enable me to develop the key skills to start my own Space Biomedicine lab.

人类对地球外存在生命的可能性非常着迷。在过去的几十年里，全球在太空探索方面进行了大量投资，欧洲和英国航天局等机构都投入了大量资金。然而，尽管宇宙飞船工程正在改进，但太空旅行的一个主要问题是重力降低对人类和其他生物生物学的未知影响。如果我们想要在地球之外维持生命，这些知识是至关重要的。从细胞的角度来看，在微重力下组织所经历的机械力是如何受到影响的？既然细胞的形状和功能是相关的，那么微重力是如何改变细胞的形状和功能的呢？关键的是，在微重力条件下，组织修复受到严重损害，但机制原因尚不清楚。组织力学在太空飞行中的伤口修复中起作用吗？为了解决这些问题，我将首先阐明3D细胞和组织力学在常规（地球）重力下伤口修复中的作用。然后，我将确定在组织发育和体内平衡过程中微重力如何影响细胞形状。最后，我将探讨细胞和组织力学在微重力下伤口修复中的作用。为了实现这一目标，我将结合先进的4D成像、图像分析技术、机器学习和计算力学模拟来分析果蝇翅盘在组织修复过程中的三维细胞形状和力学动力学。为了模拟微重力条件，我将使用地球上的随机定位机来培养苍蝇，这样它们就可以在微重力条件下发育和修复。总的来说，这项工作将阐明为什么组织修复在太空飞行中被破坏，这将有助于开发治疗方法，以提高未来太空任务和地球以外生命的人类生活质量和寿命。我的研究计划，连同我提出的培训，将使我发展的关键技能，开始我自己的空间生物医学实验室。