Life Sciences in Space Research最新文献

{"title":"Transcriptional changes at different developmental stages of rice (Oryza sativa L.) following lunar orbit flight","authors":"Xiaohui Du,&nbsp;Yan Zhang,&nbsp;Qing Yang,&nbsp;Meng Zhang,&nbsp;Yeqing Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plants are regarded as a core component of the life support system for crewed space missions, particularly in deep-space endeavors such as lunar and Martian missions. Therefore, understanding the responses of plants to deep-space flight is considered essential. Japonica rice dry seeds (<em>Oryza sativa</em> L.) were carried aboard the Chang'e 5 spacecraft on a flight to the lunar orbit for 23 days. Following their return to Earth, these seeds were planted and cultivated until the tillering and heading stages. Through comparative transcriptomic analysis with the ground control, it was found that rice plants exhibited a significantly higher number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during the tillering stage after lunar orbital flight compared to the heading stage, with distinct transcriptional regulatory patterns observed between the two developmental stages. During the tillering stage, dysregulated biological pathways included starch and sucrose metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, and cellular wall organization and biogenesis. These pathways also interacted with each other in a complex pattern. During the heading stage, pathways were enriched in glutathione metabolism and photosynthesis. Additionally, certain biological pathways related to defense, development, and secondary metabolism were represented in both developmental stages. In summary, our research reveals stage-specific differences in transcriptional response patterns in rice following lunar orbital flight.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 124-133"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144490586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Space radiation and risk for ocular surface malignancies: Exposure risk, current mitigation strategies, and management considerations for a mission to Mars","authors":"Raghuram V. Reddy ,&nbsp;Joshua Ong ,&nbsp;Ryung Lee ,&nbsp;Ritu Sampige ,&nbsp;Ethan Waisberg ,&nbsp;C.Robert Gibson ,&nbsp;John Berdahl ,&nbsp;Thomas H. Mader","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ocular surface tumors, originating from either the conjunctiva or the cornea, primarily fall into three categories of malignant or premalignant neoplasms: ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN), ocular surface melanocytic tumors, and conjunctival lymphoid tumors. These neoplasms can originate from either the conjunctiva or the cornea. Exposure to space radiation, particularly galactic cosmic rays, and solar particle events, poses a significant threat to astronaut health, including the development of ocular malignancies. As such, the objective of this study was to describe the exposure risk for ocular surface malignancies, current mitigation strategies, and management considerations for a mission to Mars. The current mitigation strategies for space radiation include physical and structural shielding along with dietary interventions. Additionally, management of ocular health during a Mars mission can include holoportation, AI-powered diagnostics, newest in-space surgical technology, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and more. Conclusively, further research and collaboration amongst space and healthcare professionals is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of astronauts during future space exploration endeavors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 69-76"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144288696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An emerging paradigm for scientific decision: the AI evaluation of space science projects","authors":"Qiwen Deng ,&nbsp;Yanzhong Wen ,&nbsp;Chaosen Liu ,&nbsp;Xinyang Yue ,&nbsp;Jianfei Sun ,&nbsp;Yuexia Han","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the past six decades, the progress of spaceflight projects has won the admiration of the whole world. However, how to evaluate the values of research projects remains an esoteric and cost effective question. To improve the selections in space science projects, we utilized AI tools to provide an overall framework for broader audience. Our work conducted a three-phased study. We explored space life science research as it is one of the most intensively researched areas in space science. We learned the domain science data and constructed a space science knowledge graph. Subsequently, to better extract semantic features, we introduced SpaceBERT, a pre-trained language model fine-tuned with contrastive learning. We then developed SpaceGL, a deep learning framework tailored for predicting frontier research. Lastly, we prioritized candidate space experimental projects based on AI model and compared with the real results from the science panel judges and the “Lottery model.”</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 84-94"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144298452","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Heart rate variability (HRV) changes during the fatigue progression of manual material handling in acute hypobaric hypoxia environments","authors":"Chao Sun ,&nbsp;Xiaoxue Yan ,&nbsp;Li Ding ,&nbsp;Jing Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiachen Nie ,&nbsp;Qing Zhang ,&nbsp;Junhui Huang ,&nbsp;Yiyang Zhao ,&nbsp;Zhongqi Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To support National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) lunar habitat plans utilizing hypobaric hypoxia (HH) environments, this study investigated the combined effects of acute hypoxia severity and physical fatigue on astronauts’ autonomic nervous system and cardiac responses during manual tasks. Ten subjects conducted repeated 25-kg box manual material handling (MMH) tasks to fatigue across normobaric normoxia (NN, 0 m), moderate (MH, 3500 m), and severe hypobaric hypoxia (SH, 4500 m), while electrocardiogram-derived heart rate variability (HRV) indices were analyzed. Increasing severity of hypoxia evoked a significant decline in parasympathetic markers (root mean square of successive interbeat intervals differences (lnRMSSD, <em>p</em> = 0.032), Poincaré plot standard deviation perpendicular the line of identity (SD1, <em>p</em> = 0.032), natural logarithm of high frequency power (lnHF, <em>p</em> = 0.018)), coupled with a significant increase in heart rate and sympathovagal balance indices (SD2 (Poincaré plot standard deviation along the line of identity)/SD1, <em>p</em> = 0.008; lnLF (natural logarithm of low frequency power)/lnHF, <em>p</em> = 0.001). The number of MMH repetitions at the onset of moderate fatigue under SH was significantly lower than that under NN (<em>p</em> = 0.039). In the SH condition, both the time for each MMH set before (<em>p</em> = 0.036) and following (<em>p</em> = 0.018) the onset of moderate fatigue were significantly longer than those observed under the NN condition. At the moderate fatigue phase, the SD2/SD1 was significantly higher in SH than that in NN(<em>p</em> = 0.01) and SH(<em>p</em> = 0.01). The remaining HRV indices only demonstrated a main effect of time. The findings offer valuable insights into the design of hypoxic environments in extraterrestrial habitats and into the monitoring and safeguarding of astronaut fatigue and cardiovascular safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 153-163"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144631168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shared mechanisms in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and spaceflight-associated neuro-ocular syndrome: Insights into central nervous system fluid dynamics, glymphatic function, and astrocyte dysregulation","authors":"Phani Paladugu ,&nbsp;Rahul Kumar ,&nbsp;Kyle Sporn ,&nbsp;Joshua Ong ,&nbsp;Amy Song ,&nbsp;Tejas Sekhar ,&nbsp;Chirag Gowda ,&nbsp;Nicole Davidoff ,&nbsp;Samuel Shin ,&nbsp;Andrew G. Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.05.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.05.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Spaceflight-Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS) and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) represent distinct neurological challenges with intriguing parallels in their disruption of central nervous system (CNS) fluid dynamics and the clinical neuro-ophthalmic manifestations. SANS, affecting astronauts during prolonged spaceflight, is characterized by optic disc edema, globe flattening, and vision changes resulting from microgravity-induced cephalad fluid shifts. NMOSD, an autoimmune astrocytopathy, is driven by aquaporin-4 (AQP4) autoantibodies that compromise astrocytic water regulation and blood-brain barrier integrity. This review explores the shared pathophysiological processes of SANS and NMOSD, focusing on AQP4 dysregulation, cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, and neuroinflammatory mechanisms. We examine advanced imaging techniques, biomarkers, and molecular pathways relevant to both conditions, highlighting how insights from NMOSD research might inform our understanding of SANS. The role of the glymphatic system and its potential impairment in both disorders is discussed as a novel perspective on CNS waste clearance. By identifying parallels between SANS and NMOSD, we aim to provide a framework for translating findings between space medicine and terrestrial neuroimmunology. This comparative analysis may drive innovative therapeutic approaches for conditions involving CNS fluid dysregulation, ultimately advancing both astronaut health and patient care for NMOSD and related disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 43-56"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144166085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decreased myocardial glucose uptake precedes cardiac dysfunction in hindlimb unloading mice revealed by dynamic 18F-FDG PET imaging","authors":"Min Yang ,&nbsp;Yifan Qiu ,&nbsp;Lei Bi ,&nbsp;Jianzhong Xian ,&nbsp;Zhijun Li ,&nbsp;Jijin Yao ,&nbsp;Hongjun Jin","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to quantify the changes in myocardial glucose uptake in simulated microgravity hindlimb unloading (HU) mice via dynamic ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT imaging and explore whether Shenqi Fuzheng injection (SFI) could improve myocardial abnormalities. FDG PET quantification suggested that the LV myocardial glucose uptake of HU mice decreased rapidly during the first week of HU, which rebounded temporarily in the second week but declined again during the third and fourth weeks. LV structure (LVAWd, LVAWs, LVPWd, and LV mass) and function (CO, FS and EF) decreased at the fourth week but not at the first week. The SFI improved myocardial glucose uptake during the first week of HU. A positive correlation between global_Ki and LV EF was found. The serum TG and NEFA levels of HU mice were reduced, whereas glucose, insulin and H&amp;E staining revealed no obvious changes. SFI partially ameliorated glycogen accumulation and myocardial fibrosis. RNA sequencing suggested that the SFI might partially improve cardiac function through the TGF-β and apelin signaling pathways. Our results indicated that decreased myocardial glucose uptake might precede and trigger the onset of heart dysfunction induced by HU and that the SFI ameliorated myocardial glucose uptake at the early stage of HU.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 140-152"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of gravitational forces on Red Blood Cell dynamics in biofluid suspension","authors":"Anirudh Murali ,&nbsp;Ram Rup Sarkar","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.06.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growing interest in space exploration and human spaceflight has highlighted the critical challenges posed by microgravity on human physiology. Among these, a significant issue is space anemia, which adversely affects Red Blood Cells (RBC) and alters its behavior. RBC depends on biofluids, for their systemic transport, a process that experiences disruption in the microgravity environment. This study aims to quantitatively address the puzzle of how red blood cells are influenced by gravity when they are suspended in bio-fluid. Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) approach was used to model blood and the cell by applying gravity as an external force along the vertical axis and varied from 0g to 2g during parameter sweeps. Key metrics, including Elongation and Deformation indices, pitch angle, and normalized center of mass, were utilized to assess cellular behavior. Results revealed that gravity induces shape changes and spatial alignment in red blood cells. The Elongation Index and the normalized center of mass declined linearly with the applied gravity. Correlation analysis showed a strong correlation between applied gravity and the aforementioned variables. Additionally, forces acting on the cell, such as drag, shear stress, and solid forces, diminished as gravitational force increased. Further analysis indicates that increasing gravity affected the cell’s velocity, resulting in prolonged proximity to vessel walls and intensified viscous interactions with surrounding fluid particles, thereby triggering morphological changes. This study provides crucial insights into the biophysical effects of gravity on the red blood cell and presents a significant step toward understanding cellular dynamics under altered gravitational conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 197-210"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144694792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prolonged exposure to centrifugal acceleration increases biomass and alters biomass allocation in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. with no apparent impact on elemental concentration in the shoot system","authors":"Kazuki Ohara ,&nbsp;Mizuki Katayama ,&nbsp;Hiroyuki Kamachi ,&nbsp;Atsushi Kume ,&nbsp;Ichirou Karahara","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.05.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.05.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous studies have shown that plants can complete their life cycle under microgravity. However, the effects of long-term exposure to altered gravity conditions, including microgravity, on most of the biological processes of a plant's life cycle remain largely unexplored. Given the limited opportunities for space experiments, ground-based experiments using altered gravity conditions have been conducted. To investigate the longer-term effects of centrifugal acceleration, we have developed and utilized a custom-built centrifugal cultivation system using a centrifuge equipped with lighting, enabling the continuous growth of seed plants under centrifugal acceleration. In this study, we examined the effects of 10 <em>g</em> centrifugal acceleration on the biomass of the shoot system (stems and rosette leaves) and the root system of <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em> for the first time, covering the entire cultivation period from germination to 40 days. Our results showed that the dry mass of the stem per unit length was significantly larger under 10 <em>g</em> compared to the 1 <em>g</em> control, indicating a typical gravity resistance response of the stem. Moreover, the total dry mass of the stems, rosette leaves, and roots was larger under 10 <em>g</em> centrifugal acceleration compared to the 1 <em>g</em> control, suggesting an increase in biomass at the individual plant level. We also observed that the leaf mass per area of the rosette leaf was larger under centrifugal acceleration compared to the 1 <em>g</em> control, indicating enhanced photosynthesis rates in Arabidopsis and resulting in increased biomass of individual plants. In terms of biomass allocation, both root-shoot ratio and root mass fraction were significantly higher under centrifugal acceleration compared to the 1 <em>g</em> control. Furthermore, we measured the concentration of mineral elements in the main stem and rosette leaves using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Despite the increase in dry mass of the root system, we found no significant differences in the concentration of any of the ions between 10 <em>g</em> and 1 <em>g</em> conditions, indicating that mineral nutrient uptake homeostasis is maintained even under centrifugal acceleration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 61-68"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144271168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Precision health monitoring in spaceflight with integration of lower body negative pressure and advanced large language model artificial intelligence","authors":"Rahul Kumar ,&nbsp;Ethan Waisberg ,&nbsp;Joshua Ong ,&nbsp;Phani Paladugu ,&nbsp;Kyle Sporn ,&nbsp;Karsten Chima ,&nbsp;Dylan Amiri ,&nbsp;Nasif Zaman ,&nbsp;Alireza Tavakkoli","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.05.010","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.05.010","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Long-term exposure to microgravity influences musculoskeletal health and enhances the likelihood of sustaining orthopedic injuries while on a microgravity mission and upon return to Earth. Although countermeasures are being investigated to alleviate some risks of injury, such as resistive (or weight) exercise and Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP), evidence is accumulating that current paradigms do not ensure the safety or health of astronauts because of a lack of in-flight diagnostic methods, in which load/diagnostic metrics can be assessed over time. Here, we suggest the integration of a new vision-language large language model (DeepSeek-VL) as a potential autonomous diagnostic agent for monitoring musculoskeletal health in a microgravity environment. DeepSeek-VL will autonomously analyze radiographic data and biomechanical data streamed from a LBNP device. Determinations will be made based on lost or compromised density in bone, lost joint-centered stability, or ineffective loading patterns - providing personalized and specific feedback regarding musculoskeletal health with the astronaut as the primary user. Unlike conventional reporting approaches that rely on cross-institutional analysis by household experts, DeepSeek-VL allows for real-time, and autonomous interpretation of musculoskeletal imaging metrics (and physiological metrics) for on-time personalized countermeasure development. Here, we review architectural adaptations including microgravity specific samplings of data, training protocols and implications of deployment in the ISS. We anticipate DeepSeek's timely development of flight-ready diagnostic reporting will facilitate in-flight/systematic monitoring of musculoskeletal health and safety, especially for astronauts undergoing load management training (e.g., LBNP) and ensure effectiveness of countermeasures, their outputs. We will address methods to circumvent limitations and barriers to risk, and establish the importance of a federated, adaptive, and resilient AI-based platform to mitigate risk for astronaut musculoskeletal health during extended missions. Finally, we address some considerations for terrestrial model and a healthcare authority within a current context of growing importance for effective orthopedic healthcare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 57-60"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144185598","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Celestial hazards: immunological and pulmonary effects of lunar and Martian regolith simulants","authors":"Christopher C. Ferraro ,&nbsp;Deyaneira Tirado ,&nbsp;Mariola J. Ferraro","doi":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.lssr.2025.07.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Lunar and Martian dusts present emerging health hazards to astronauts, particularly during long-duration missions such as those planned under NASA's Artemis program. These extraterrestrial regoliths possess unique physicochemical properties—such as angular morphology, high surface area, and reactive mineral phases—that distinguish them from terrestrial dust and may influence their biological activity. This review synthesizes current findings from in vitro and in vivo toxicological studies involving lunar and Martian dust and their simulants. Lunar dust, which contains elevated levels of silica and nanophase metallic iron, has been associated with pulmonary inflammation, neutrophilic infiltration, and indications of fibrotic remodeling in animal models. Cell-based assays have also reported apoptosis, necrosis, and pro-inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages, epithelial cells, and fibroblasts following exposure. Martian dust simulants have shown cytotoxic effects and preliminary signs of neurotoxicity in vitro, although these findings are limited and based on analogs that may not fully represent actual Martian material. These findings show certain challenges of extrapolating human risk from simulants that may not fully replicate the properties of actual regolith. Future research must prioritize physiologically relevant inhalation models, and chronic low-dose exposure scenarios. These studies should also account for the combined impact of spaceflight-associated stressors—such as radiation, microgravity, and altered breathing mechanics—on toxicity outcomes. Mechanistic studies incorporating transcriptomic and proteomic tools, alongside standardized methodologies, will be essential for establishing evidence-based safety thresholds for human space exploration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18029,"journal":{"name":"Life Sciences in Space Research","volume":"47 ","pages":"Pages 181-189"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144654217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}