US EditionMouse Stem Cells Frozen on ISS Yield Health Offspring After Six Months
Kyoto University researchers found that mouse stem cells stored six months on the ISS retained fertility and produced healthy offspring, supporting future space germ cell preservation.
- Researchers at Kyoto University published on August 15, 2025, that mouse spermatogonial stem cells cryopreserved on the ISS for six months produced healthy offspring.
- The team froze stem cells in a deep freezer aboard the ISS to study spaceflight’s impact, anticipating more damage from space conditions than cryopreservation.
- Contrary to expectations, results showed cryopreservation caused more harm than spaceflight, and offspring born through natural mating appeared healthy with normal gene expression.
- Mito Kanatsu-Shinohara mentioned that some spermatogonial stem cells remain preserved aboard the ISS, and they plan to carry out additional studies on them.
- These findings support groundwork for future germ cell preservation in long-term space missions but require further study on storage duration and offspring health over generations.
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Space mice babies
Kyoto, Japan -- As space programs evolve and we continue to mistreat our own planet, human dreams of space tourism and planetary colonization seem increasingly common. However, features of spaceflight such as gravitational changes and circadian rhythm disruption -- not to mention radiation -- take a toll on the body, including muscle wasting and decreased bone density. These may even affect our ability to produce healthy offspring. Studying the…
Space mice babies: Stem cells cryopreserved in space produce healthy offspring
Features of spaceflight such as gravitational changes and circadian rhythm disruption—not to mention radiation—take a toll on the body, including muscle wasting and decreased bone density. These may even affect the ability to produce healthy offspring.
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