Regeneration beyond Earth: Planaria joins China's space station for tissue repair research

China's space station is set to welcome a new life form – planaria – following previous experiments involving zebrafish and fruit flies, according to Zhang Wei, a researcher at the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in his recent interview with Youth.cn.

"This year's launch of Shenzhou spacecraft will carry dozens of planarian segments into space," Zhang said.

Planarias are flatworms with amazing regeneration abilities. There are many different species that inhabit freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. When cut, they can regrow complete heads or tails, making them ideal models for studying tissue regeneration.

The new experiment will utilize the "life ecosystem experiment cabinet" on the space station's "small universal biological cultivation module." Researchers will observe the regeneration process in different planarian segments in orbit, collecting and analyzing samples at key stages.

By using planaria as model organisms, the experiment aims to study how the space environment affects their regenerative patterns and physiological behavior, Zhang explained.

"We'll explore the molecular basis of these changes and investigate how gravity influences cell proliferation, migration and differentiation, enhancing our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of regeneration," Zhang said.

In addition, the zebrafish previously sent into space will be part of an upgraded experiment in future missions.

"With a genetic similarity of 87 percent to humans, zebrafish studies could provide insights into countering health issues caused by microgravity and may even offer new strategies for treating osteoporosis on Earth," said Wang Yifeng, deputy chief designer at the Payload Operation and Control Center of the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization.

During the Shenzhou-19 mission, fruit fly experiments focused on the combined effects of microgravity and weak magnetic environments. Analysis of over 20 days of in-orbit video footage revealed that microgravity significantly altered fruit fly activity and courtship behavior patterns. This finding offers fresh insights into how organisms adapt to extreme environments.

(Gong Zhe contributed to the story.)